Silent Mastery
by LilMissInuFan
Summary: Over three years have passed since Naraku's defeat. The jewel was gone and the well had closed. Through Feudal Japan, Kagome is left to walk alone. Features stronger Kagome character with new abilities and a troubled past.
1. We meet again

**AN: After a long, looong absence, I am back and writing again. This little plot bunny got dusted off and here we go! Featuring a much stronger, though haunted Kagome with new powers. Please keep in mind that I have taken some artistic liberties that deviate from the manga/The Final Act. I have big plans for this story and plan to update pretty frequently, as long as the evil muse allows. As always, reviews are appreciated!**

 **I do not own Inuyasha nor any of the characters. I do not profit in any way from this story.**

Chapter 1

She took a deep breath, staring at her gruesome opponent. The youkai was massive, standing at least three times her height, with dark olive skin and multiple horns protruding from his grotesque body. The enormous ogre-like demon raised his huge rough-hewn wooden club overhead and with a roar, struck the spot where she stood with all his strength. The blow never connected with her flesh. She had leapt backwards, using her hand on the ground to flip out of the path of the fatal blow. The fierce woman landed upright with her sword drawn, balancing lightly on the balls of her feet.

The sword was a demonic blade forged by Totosai himself. Her sword was styled as a curved scimitar. The hilt of the blade an intricately detailed silver encrusted with shining lapis gems that rivaled the brilliant blue of her eyes. The blade glowed with a soft blue light when she wielded it. She had wielded her sword for over a year now, and she had perfected the use of it in that time with a little help from the master smith and her persistent training.

The raven-haired beauty smirked at the ugly excuse for a demon in front of her. Her eyes were dark and intense, as she stood ready for another attack. The deep blue of her eyes darkened with her concentration and seething revulsion. When the demon once again tried to crush her into the ground with his club, she ran up the length of his arm with far more speed and skill than the hapless demon had expected. Her blade danced in the bright light of the sun, emitting a brighter blue glow just before being coated in the thick blood of her would be killer. The youkai clawed at his gaping throat as he hit the ground, feeling his life slipping away.

The deadly female jumped to the ground as the demon's body collapsed and continued walking on her path, ignoring the sounds of death behind her. The sound was familiar to this one, having fought innumerable battles to get to this point. The soft breeze tugged gently at her hood as she walked. Her white haori was barely visible beneath the dark cloak she wore. Only her non-traditional midnight blue hakama was visible beneath it, despite the heat of summer. She looked up to the sun-filled sky, knowing she had only a few more hours of travel left before night fall.

Sighing heavily, the lone woman continued traveling west. She carefully kept her mind blank, repressing memories of past travel and staying attuned to her surroundings. The beauty continued walking until she came upon a small village. She crouched at the edge of the field, out of sight behind some high grasses, contemplating the scene in front of her.

Her watchful eyes observed the villagers for several minutes. She watched the peaceful village as chores were done and words exchanged between the inhabitants. Children playing games in the main street, ducking around the working adults. This brought a soft smile to her face. The innocence of youth both beautiful and amusing. Though she did not want to, she made the decision to attempt to find shelter for the night as her provisions were low. The woman rose slowly to her full height and walked towards a group of men only several feet from where she had crouched.

As she drew closer, one of the men noticed her and pointed her out to his comrades. The men visibly tensed upon seeing her. Though times were more peaceful than in the past, humans were ever fearful of attacks from the youkai. The eldest of the men stepped forward and spoke to her, his tone friendly enough though he eyed her garb suspiciously, "Hello, stranger. What brings you to our humble village?"

She stopped a few feet from the one who spoke to her and spoke softly, "I seek only fresh provisions and a place to sleep."

"You do not look the part of the average traveler. May I ask your business?" Came the voice of the elder once again, still looking at her in askance.

A soft sigh escaped her lips and she drew back her hood. "I am but a travelling priestess." She replied, her voice tranquil and soothing.

The men continued to look her over for a moment before the elder spoke again, his voice welcoming, "Well then, lady miko, you are welcome to provision yourself with what offerings we have. I am the village headsman, Hideyoshi. My wife and I will gladly provide you a bed for the night. May I ask your name, priestess?"

"I am Kagome." came her soft, nearly whispered response. The men needed only a moment to whisper among themselves to confirm. All of the country had heard of her deeds and her sacrifices. Many thought her blessed, though an equal number saw her as cursed. She hated that everyone knew her name, how everyone stared and whispered when they knew who she was.

"It would be our honor, Great Miko, to accommodate you for the night." Again, the elder man spoke to her, though now his voice held great respect. His wizened face was solemn, but Kagome saw mirth and an easy demeanor swimming behind his eyes. As he gestured for her to follow, she strolled sedately beside him, matching his pace.

He stepped to the side as they reached his home, allowing her to walk in front of him. Inside the small wooden hut sat an elderly lady preparing dinner. She was a diminutive woman with long white hair tied away from her face and bright, friendly eyes that matched her husbands.

"Hello," The woman nodded to Kagome and turned towards her husband, "Who did you bring home with you, dear?"

"This is Lady Kagome, the Shikon Miko."

"Oh my!" Her mouth rounded in an O, before she regained her composure, "Come in, milady, please make yourself at home." The elderly woman smiled at her as she gestured for her to sit. The woman radiated kindness and inner peace, something that Kagome greatly envied.

Hideyoshi's smile spread into a burst of laughter at his wife's reaction. His smile still curled his lips as he turned to the miko, "This is my wife, Aya."

Kagome nodded, and found that the old man's smile was contagious. For the first time in a long time, Kagome felt at ease around these people. Usually, she avoided most villages, temples and palaces to avoid the stares and whispers that accompanied her fame.

"It's truly a pleasure to meet you, milady. Dinner will be done soon; I am sure you are hungry and tired." Aya's voice was warm and motherly, reminding Kagome of the past. Normally, she did not allow herself to remember, but for just this once, she thought of her family in the future and smiled softly.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Hideyoshi and Aya. I am most grateful." Kagome's voice was warm, though her words were formal.

"Think nothing of it!" Aya responded as she stirred the pot in which dinner was being cooked, "We don't get to have guests often. It's our pleasure, really."

The couple began talking quietly about their day and other miscellany of village life, and Kagome turned inward to her own thoughts. _Where do I go from here?_ _ **There seems to be no purpose to my life anymore. I travel endlessly, trying to outrun my memories, yet everywhere I go, I am known. I cannot be around people without being reminded of my deeds… and my friends…**_

Kagome stopped her train of thought right there, not wanting to even think it **.** _ **I cannot go back to the future, and yet I do not feel that I belong here… There is nothing left for me here… I cannot think like this all the time. I just want to live and find happiness… After all I have been through, is that too much to ask?**_

A thoughtful look crossed her face in the midst of her deep thoughts. She had proved time and again that she was strong. She had mourned loss after loss… Her old life was dead, and it was time she quit mourning it.

… _ **so I shall keep traveling until I find my purpose…**_

Aya's cheerful voice called Kagome out of her thoughts, "Dinner's ready!"

************** Next Day **************

"Are you sure you must leave, Milady? You only just got here last night." Hideyoshi asked as he accompanied her to the edge of the village.

"Yes, Hideyoshi. I must continue my journey. You and Aya have been kind, but there is something I am searching for, and it cannot be found in this village." Kagome said, smiling fondly at the old man. She had been treated like a favored daughter in their home, and she was truly grateful to these kind people.

"Very well, be safe young one." Hideyoshi stopped at the edge of the village and watched as she walked on. The young priestess had brought joy to so many people and yet she seemed so very sad. He had heard so many stories that he was not quite sure what was true, but he had not wanted to offend her by asking. When the miko was out of sight, the old man turned back towards his hut, still pondering the Shikon Miko.

Kagome had been walking for several hours, and it was well into the afternoon when she stopped to rest. She chose to sit not too far from the path and rest her legs and soothe her grumbling belly. She ate an apple from her new provisions as well as some pickled vegetables. She finished her small meal and leaned back in the grass. The cool breeze blowing across the plain was welcome against her hot skin, and she reveled in the simple pleasure. It was truly a beautiful day and Kagome found her mind was in a rare state of calm.

Turning her head towards the sound of a voice on the wind, the miko cursed herself for allowing her guard to be down for even a moment. Kagome saw three youkai walking her way that she should have sensed well before they got this close. The priestess hoped they would pass by and leave her alone, however no youkai usually just left her alone. All three were male Inuyoukai, dressed in armor over their kimonos and hakama. She turned her attention away, staring ahead of her.

"Woman, who are you and what is your purpose here?" One of them demanded of her, his hand on his weapon.

"I am merely passing through the area." Kagome said calmly, hoping to avoid a confrontation.

"Answer the question, who are you?" His harsh voice barked at her.

She sighed and lowered her head slightly in defeat, "Just a travelling miko."

The three youkai inspected her, wondering at the power they could feel radiating from her that she made no attempt to conceal. Kagome started to get annoyed as several seconds passed without anyone saying a word.

Kagome stood up, slinging her pack along with her bow and quiver over her shoulder. She turned and started to walk away. Knowing how the inuyoukai would react to the slight, but also having already determined a confrontation was a certainty.

"No one said that you could leave, miko."

"I answered your questions, now leave me in peace." Her voice was haughty and aloof. She was really tired of dealing with egotistical demons. Continuing to walk away, Kagome froze suddenly and whipped out her sword, spinning around. The youkai that had made a move at her stopped, though he stood at the ready with sword in hand.

"Ignorant miko, you will show respect."

"What have you done that I should respect you?" Kagome taunted in return. This might not end well, but it would be a hell of a fight. The thought made Kagome smile…

The youkai lunged at her, swinging his sword. Kagome put her blade up and deflected his attack. Though she had used both hands, she had not been able to throw him off with strength alone. His attack was also quick, making him an opponent worth battling. Kagome decided to go on the offensive and went in with a smooth side strike. The youkai brought his sword down, trying to take hers to the ground. As his blade hit her sword, Kagome used her other hand to send a ball of pink light at the demon, hitting him in the thigh.

Moving quickly, Kagome stepped back and into a defensive crouch.

Lord Sesshoumaru paused when he smelled inuyoukai blood in the air. His eyes narrowed, knowing it must be one of his generals. They were out investigating reports of rogue youkai attacks in the area. He also caught the scent of a human, her scent seeming so familiar. Sesshoumaru turned and followed the scent through the sparse woods at the edge of the clearing without saying a word to his subordinates. Quickly coming upon one of his generals fighting the onna, Sesshoumaru was stunned to see his general was the only one wounded. The other two youkai were standing back and watching the fight progress, gauging the woman's strength.

The Daiyoukai watched as the woman gracefully dodged yet another blow from his general. Her aura and scent still feeling very familiar, though he could not place them. He had yet to see her face, watching her cloak swirl around her with her movements.

"Die!" Kagome cried as she tripped the youkai and rolled on top of him. Her blade slashed into his neck, nearly severing his head completely. In the flash of an eye, Kagome felt herself become airborne, the hood of her cloak flying back. She hit the ground hard, but was up immediately, sword at the ready.

When she saw her opponent, she stilled at the angry amber eyes staring her down. Her mind seemed unable to process who stood before her in that instant. A softly spoken "Sesshoumaru…" left her lips.

Sesshoumaru's arrogant mask was in place, but internally he was utterly shocked which was a very unfamiliar feeling indeed. He had not recognized her until she said his name. The girl he had known was nothing compared to the woman in front of him. Her black tresses fell almost to her knees, a turquoise ribbon at the nape of her neck holding it back from her face save a few loose tendrils. Her features were more mature and there was a hardness to them that he didn't remember. Her eyes were the same shimmering blue, though now they were dark and guarded.

"Miko…" He said, his voice menacing. Sesshoumaru drew his blade and was at her side in moments. Kagome barely fended off his first strike, trying to put distance between them. Sesshoumaru smirked almost imperceptibly, before his command of, "Dragon Strike."

Kagome stuck the blade of the blue sword into the ground in front of her. A glowing barrier surrounded her, harmlessly purifying his attack. She pulled her sword from the ground as she stood. Sesshoumaru did not let up, moving to attack her again. Kagome barely managed to parry the strike. They stood in a deadlock for a moment before he overpowered her, bringing her to her knees. He kicked her in the chest, knocking Kagome to her back. The wind left her lungs forcibly, though he had done little more than unbalance her. The Daiyoukai held his sword to her throat. He had expected her to whimper and beg for her life. However, she made not a sound, her eyes blatantly defying him.

"Your life belongs to me now, miko."


	2. The Western Palace

**I do not own Inuyasha nor any of the characters. I do not profit in any way from this story.**

Chapter 2

"Your life belongs to me now, miko." Sesshoumaru said quietly, but the arrogance behind his words was tangible, though he spoke the truth.

Kagome continued to stare up into the eyes of her attacker. She would not back down, not even to the great Lord Sesshoumaru. Her position on the ground made her feel vulnerable in a way she had not for a long time. Not since she had been a weak tag-a-long in Inuyasha's group, but she was not that same lost little girl anymore. She would face life or death with head held high.

Sesshoumaru watched the miko carefully. She showed no sign of fear or weakness, matching his cold stare with one of her own. Though he would never admit it aloud, the miko had impressed him not only with her courage, but with her skill as well. The Daiyoukai withdrew his sword from her throat and sheathed it.

Neither of them seemed willing to break eye contact with the other. After the passage of several seconds, Sesshoumaru turned his back and spoke, "Get up, Miko."

Kagome stood slowly, still staring at Sesshoumaru's back. She sheathed her blade and rested her hands on its hilt, still at the ready. The son of the great dog demon did not even look back as he started to walk away, trusting the miko would know to follow.

The Shikon Miko did indeed follow with her head high, not looking at the demon she had killed or his comrades who stood staring with disbelief. She let no thoughts enter her mind, to do so would only make her lose focus. To lose focus around Sesshoumaru was to risk death.

Carefully maintaining her aura and sending her awareness out around her, the priestess monitored for threats in a way that was second nature to her now. She kept the majority of her focus on the inuyoukai ahead of her. _**He hasn't changed a bit, I see. Had I realized it was him, I would not have raised my blade to him. Then, I would not be in this mess now. As he said, by the laws and customs of the inuyoukai, my life belongs to him as he chose to spare me. Baring your blade at the lord was punishable by death… always.**_

Sesshoumaru walked silently, questioning how he could have not known her before he saw her. He had not seen the miko since the defeat of Naraku over three years ago. The difference in the strength of her aura was unbelievable, as were her newfound skills with that blade she carried. He could feel her searching around them with her aura and he found that it annoyed him. "Cease your scanning, miko. I will detect a threat long before you do."

Kagome was snapped out of her reverie and her eyebrows knit together at his tone. How dare he presume her abilities? She thought about responding, but chose instead to flare out her aura much further. She forcibly kept her energy calm and emotionless around herself, her face blank besides the tiniest of little smirks at the corner of her mouth.

Sesshoumaru stopped and spun on his heel. His cold amber eyes challenging and assessing her. "Do you wish to die today after all?" He questioned, no inflection whatsoever in his softly spoken words.

Having taken time to study various demons, the inuyoukai in particular, she had learned much of their unspoken rules. To be honest, she found their society to be fascinating. Without changing her facial expression at all, and reflecting his own tone back to him she replied, "My life is yours, Lord Sesshoumaru. You may do with it as you wish."

His eyes changed subtly, but Kagome could see the question in them. It was rare for humans to know much at all about demons, much less know the ancient words to speak. His voice bordered on gruff as he replied, "Remember that."

Kagome remembered a time when that would have made her panic. While she did feel a bit of fear, she at least felt better prepared to handle Lord Sesshoumaru than she had been before. She continued to follow him, pondering all the ways this could possibly end… none of them seemed good.

The sun was setting as they approached the castle. Kagome had seen her fair share of castles and manors in her travels, but she had not been prepared for the sight of the castle of the west. High walls surrounded the castle itself with sentries posted along the top, visible in the light of the freshly lit torches. Beyond the walls, she could see that one side of the castle was five stories high. She could hardly believe her eyes at the opulent palace and she hadn't even seen inside of it yet.

Not having cloaked herself fully in her aura, Sesshoumaru could feel the wonder and scented something akin to excitement. He had been pondering on the radically changed miko during the entire trip. She radiated with a new inner strength to match the prowess he had seen her exhibit against himself. Her demeanor reminded him of the dead priestess Kikyou in a way, though he could not fully rationalize this thought past her quiet, self-assured nature. Shaking his mind of such thoughts, Sesshoumaru approached the gate and demanded entrance into the castle. The gate opened immediately and he continued inside without a word to the cloaked priestess.

Kagome raised her hood as the gate opened, though she doubted any here would recognize her. She wrapped her aura around her as a second cloak, dimming her humanity and power within it. The beautiful miko followed the silent Sesshoumaru into the gates, already feeling the stares of those on the walls and in the courtyard.

As they walked through the courtyard, everything was strangely quiet. Kagome kept her eyes on Sesshoumaru's back as servants opened the doors to their Lord. She tried not to let her eyes wander to the beauty of the castle. Hopefully, she would have time to explore later without Sesshoumaru. Unless he decided to throw her in a dungeon, of course.

The Daiyoukai kept his brisk pace through the massive carved wooden doors on their right. The hallway on the other side was resplendent in hardwood floors and walls. The walls sported various expensive looking hangings and yet more carvings. She followed the silent inu to the wooden staircase at the end of the hall, the bannister smoothly carved and shining under her fingers as they ascended three flights of stairs. The pair turned down yet another beautifully decorated hall, finally stopping at the last door on the right. Sesshoumaru finally stopped and turned to face her.

He looked at her with his usual emotionless façade as he turned the handle on the door, "This will be your room, miko. A servant will be made available to you."

Kagome looked up at him, a puzzled look on her face, "So… that's it? You take me to your palace and put me in a room?"

That damned faint smirk appeared on his lips again, "For now, miko. Unless you would prefer a place in the dungeons?"

She had to fight the urge to roll her eyes at him. Instead, the priestess raised her chin higher and replied with a cool tone, "No, thank you. This will be sufficient."

Kagome stepped forward to enter the room when the Lord's arm snaked out to block her passage. Waiting a few moments, the blue-eyed miko turned those bright sapphire gems to meet the cool amber of Sesshoumaru's. He seemed to study her face, still not breaking the silence. Kagome felt the need to look away, but would not give the demon lord that satisfaction. He knew he was making her uncomfortable, and she knew it.

The silence continued to draw out and it was taking all she had not to fidget or turn her gaze away. The tension was palpable though she could not say what the source of the tension was. A shred of the old Kagome came to the surface, "Is Lord Sesshoumaru waiting for a good night's kiss?"

Kagome grinned but quickly forced it *most the way* off her face. His face was impassable as though his features were carved of stone. The snarky priestess began to regret her words and a modicum of anxiety was rising in her.

Sesshoumaru could not quite believe his ears, even knowing how unpredictable the onna could be at times. He could see just the tiniest bit of fear in her at his lack of reaction. _**So, she does value her life after all.**_ The Daiyoukai took a step forward, breathing deeply of her scent. Underneath the demon dog's blood clinging to her, was a rich perfume he could not believe belonged to a human. Sesshoumaru heard the miko swallow and her scent changed slightly. A combination of fear and awareness of him permeated the air between them.

Yet, she never faltered in holding his gaze. The little miko was even proficiently at hiding in her expression any hint of emotion except the bit that danced behind her eyes. His piercing amber stare moved lower, to her barely parted lips. _**I wonder what they taste like…**_

Sesshoumaru straightened up, realizing he had leaned towards the beautiful vixen. He met her eyes and spoke more harshly than he intended, "Your weapons."

The trance like state that his eyes had held her in suddenly vanished and she could feel heat in her face. _**Please oh please, do NOT blush now, Kagome. Get ahold of yourself!**_

The priestess broke the eye contact finally and slung the bow and quiver off her shoulder, handing it to the smug youkai. She drew out her blade from her sash and handed that to him as well before taking a step back.

"And the hidden blade, miko." He sounded amused, but she dare not look up into his face right now. Reaching into her haori, she drew a dagger out of the space near her right hip and handed it over to the infernal demon lord. She stole a quick glance at his face and was angered to find that he was indeed amused judging by that infuriating little smirk.

Kagome felt more than a little naked without her weapons, though she knew she still had her substantial spiritual powers at her disposal. Sesshoumaru stepped back into the hall and turned back toward the stairwell with her weapons. She stared at him for a moment before stepping into her new quarters and shutting the door just a little harder than necessary.


	3. First Links to the Past

**AN: For those that have been asking, I do plan to update Fire and Ice. However, I am tempted upon rereading it to go back and make some edits as well as adjust the story slightly. I still have my old plot line saved, but until I make my edits, I will probably not be adding a new chapter immediately.**

 **This chapter is a little short, but I wanted to put out an immediate update to the first two chapters. Enjoy this and know that I am already started on chapter 4.**

 **As usual, I do not own Inuyasha and make no profit with my stories**

Chapter 3

Kagome leaned on the closed door and took a breath of relief. She had always found Sesshoumaru's direct gaze to be intimidating, but just now, it felt as though he were looking into her soul. Her attempt at levity had not helped one bit either. Sighing, the lovely miko took in her new accommodations.

The room was easily larger than most village huts. On her left, a large bed stood against the wall. It was much more like a modern bed than she had ever seen in the feudal era. The mattress stood raised on an intricately carved platform and covered with a deep red blanket. She strode over and turned back the soft coverlet to discover sheets of black silk. Kagome ran her hand along the luxurious fabric and could not help but smile. _**At least I'll be getting a good night's rest.**_

Turning, she noted the far corner of the room was arranged into a small sitting area with comfortable looking cushions, also in the deep red of her coverlet. A table sat amid the cushions, bare of decorum save the sheen of the wood itself. The back wall of the room boasted two large windows, one above the seating area and the other opposite the bed. Thick, heavy curtains hung over the typical screens. Also in deep red, but embroidered with pale silver geometric designs at the lowest portions. There was also a standing wardrobe and dressing table across from where she stood. The table held only a brush and small looking glass. She also noted a pitcher and basin in the corner behind the door.

Kagome walked to the window nearest her, pushing back the curtain and screen to inhale the night air. Scents of burning torches and sweet summer flowers assaulted her senses. From her high position, Kagome could just make out the garden behind the castle. Staring out over the countryside, the priestess wondered again if Inuyasha was still out there somewhere. After what had happened, the hanyou had completely disappeared. She had searched for him for the first two years, stopping in villages for news though she despised the stares. It was as if he had disappeared without a trace.

Those first couple of years alone had been the hardest. Knowing she would never see her family again had only made it worse. However, Kagome refused to let herself be consumed by the anger and sadness. Back then, she had been weak and unable to control her spiritual powers. Her search had led her into many fights with youkai along the way. She had learned more control, but also more skill than she ever dreamed she could have. Kagome had made it a point to stop at temples and shrines seeking those who could help her refine her powers.

Two years ago, the miko had almost died. She had used up too much of her power in a battle with many demons and lay vulnerable in a nearby cave. Knowing there were more youkai not far from her, Kagome had come to terms with the fact that she would likely leave her lonely existence behind. She had thought of her friends then, and smiled at the thought of meeting them in the afterlife. The battle worn priestess had not even made a move for her bow and last arrow when a demon loomed in the mouth of her refuge.

That was when Totosai found her. Kagome had been so confused when the mouth of the cave lit with bright orange flames, burning the demon down where he stood. She remembered thinking at the time, "I thought being eaten was a bad way to go, but burning alive…"

Kagome let her mind wander into the past.

The disheveled priestess reached for her last arrow, though she had little power to suffuse within it. She could barely draw back her bow fully. The battle had drained her physically and spiritually, but she held her position. Aiming at the mouth of the cave, Kagome was damned if she was going to die the way the demon just had.

She felt a sharp jab to the side of her neck and her shoulder came up to squash whatever offense now violated her flesh. Turning her head, she saw Myoga fall from her shoulder with a cry. The astonished miko let her bow go slack as she stared in disbelief, "Myoga, what are you doing here?"

"Kagome! Master Totosai and I have been searching for you for some time." Came the voice of the elderly flea demon. At that moment, Totosai rode into the cave on his odd bull creature.

"Why were you two looking for me?" asked the puzzled Kagome, looking from one to the other as she set down her bow.

"I have made you something, Kagome," said Totosai, "And it looks like we found you without a moment to spare. Come, climb on and we will go back to my forge."

Kagome allowed Myoga onto her shoulder and achingly climbed on top of the bull, "So, you made _me_ something, Totosai? Why?"

"You'll see. Now let's get out of here," Totosai said as they took off into the air.

Once they had arrived at the forge, Totosai encouraged the exhausted priestess to rest. Kagome gratefully sunk down into her ragged sleeping bag and fell into a dark, dreamless sleep. Confused by her surroundings, Kagome opened her eyes slowly and scanned the area until she saw Totosai sharpening a blade.

"Master Totosai, what is it you have for me?" Kagome asked as she sat up slowly. Feeling much better though still weak, the miko wondered how long she had slept. The light shining in the cave told her it was dawn.

"Ah, Kagome, you are awake. I was beginning to fear that Myoga and I had been too late. You have slept for nearly three days." Totosai responded, still hammering at the curved blade in his hand.

"Three days?!" Kagome replied in astonishment. No wonder she felt weak, she had not eaten they day of the battle and now for three days more. As if in agreement, her stomach let out a massive gurgle.

"Yep, three days. I thought for sure I was going to have to find someone else to give this sword to," He said, waving the shining blade in the air.

"But Totosai, I don't know how to use a sword, and that is a demon blade." Kagome replied, in shock that he would make a demon blade for her.

"Ah, but this is not your average demon blade. The fangs that made this blade are from a demon who ate those with spiritual powers. The demon himself has been subdued, but the sword will undoubtedly help you."

Myoga chimed in, "Yes, Kagome, this sword will help you tap into not only the demon's strength, but your own due to the spiritual power imbued in the blade."

"As for not knowing how to use it, Myoga and I can help you get the hang of it. Then, you will just have to practice to sharpen your skills." Totosai said as he set down his hammer.

Kagome stood and walked over to the demon smith and inspected the work over his shoulder. When she got near, the short sword's blade began to glow a soft blue. The curved blade broadened as it reached the point before curving back on itself. The sword's style came from the continent she knew. Totosai had polished the twisted silver hilt to high shine and inlaid it with sparkling lapis stones. The stones themselves were a perfect blue with hints of veiny gold.

"It is beautiful, master Totosai," Kagome exclaimed as she got her first real look at the sword, "Why is it glowing?"

"It is reacting to your spiritual power, child. The sword's true potential can only be brought out by someone of great spiritual strength." Totosai replied, happy that it had responded to the miko immediately.

"It's worth a shot! Let's go practice." Kagome said excitedly, ready to try her new sword. Her stomach chose then to remind her she had not eaten in days by releasing a long, loud growl.

"Maybe we should feed you first," Myoga replied upon hearing the fierce noises coming from the priestess's belly.

Kagome laughed, "Maybe you are right, Myoga. So, what are we going to eat?"

A knock at the door snapped Kagome out of her reverie. Sighing, she turned to get the door cautiously. An aura she did not know was on the other side of the door. Opening the heavy wood just enough to look out, the miko found herself staring into a pair of eyes so dark that they seemed black. The hanyou had the long silver hair that Kagome was accustomed to seeing on the dog demons, but had dark mocha skin with matching dark ears perched on her head.

"My name is Mayumi, my Lady Miko. I have been sent to see to your needs." The woman's calm demeanor relaxed Kagome somewhat, though she was still on edge at being surrounded by so many youkai auras.

Kagome thought about sending the girl away, but her stomach was knotted with hunger and she could seriously use some water to clean up in. "I would appreciate some food and a chance to wash up, Mayumi." Kagome said with a slight smile.

"Which would you like first? I can bring you food and then take you to the washroom. The palace has an indoor hot spring on the lower level." Mayumi said helpfully, her ears twitching.

Kagome almost groaned aloud at the thought of a real bath, and apparently, she was not captive to her room as she had first thought. Not knowing what tomorrow might bring, Kagome intended to be comfortable tonight at least. "That would be fantastic, Mayumi." The miko's smile was much brighter this time.

Mayumi returned the smile hesitantly before bowing quickly, "As you wish, I shall return shortly with your food." The half demon strode off towards the stairs, leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts once more.


	4. Night Terrors

**AN: Fair warning, this chapter covers graphic character death. Read the dream sequence at your own risk. My typical line of asterix denotes the end of the sequence (*).**

 **I do not own Inuyasha or any of the original characters. I own only my plot and unique characters. No profit was made in the making of this story.**

Sesshoumaru paced restlessly in his chambers. While it was true he was not nearly as adverse to humans as he had been in the past, he could not seem to reconcile with himself the urge to taste the priestess's lips. While he adored Rin and doted on her, being attracted to a human woman was a whole other matter. He could not push her heady scent from his mind and found himself wondering how intoxicating the scent of her arousal might be.

Shaking his head, Sesshoumaru tried to pull his thoughts out of the direction they were heading. Thinking about the short-lived battle with her, he had to admit he was more than a little surprised at how strong she had become. The little miko came with more than her share of questions.

 _ **Why was she traveling alone? What had happened to his half-breed brother? How did she come by a demon blade that she was able to wield?**_

The daiyoukai continued pacing back and forth, pondering the answers to these questions. Deciding he was going to get some answers, Sesshoumaru resolved to question the priestess in the morning. He began to wonder if she would even answer his questions. She had obviously changed quite a lot. The young miko he remembered was always talking too much and wore her heart openly on her sleeve. Yet this woman had barely said a word the whole time they had traveled back to his castle. Her reserve could be due to maturing he supposed, but he had a sense that something had happened to change her.

"Probably something to do with that half breed," He mused aloud. However, he had to admit that he had caught no scent of the hanyou on the miko or her belongings.

Sesshoumaru spent the better part of the night pondering on the beautiful and mysterious guest in his castle. As the witching hour passed, he decided he had best get his rest and put her out of his mind. He had just changed into his jinbei and settled under the covers when the burst of fear hit him.

Kagome's room was just below his bedroom. From this proximity, he could both smell the rank stench of fear and feel it coming from the powerful aura of the young miko. Jumping out of bed and grabbing his weapon, Sesshoumaru made haste as he moved through his palace to her room.

******************DREAM SEQUENCE***********************

The wind whipped Kagome's hair about as the storm rolled in. At a loud crash of thunder, the miko jumped and started running. She hoped to make it back to the village before the storm unleashed a torrent of rain on her.

She had been gone longer than anticipated on her journey to collect certain herbs. The past two nights, the priestess had holed up in a cave and searched for her herbs by daylight. Kagome was happy that she had found all of the herbs on her list as a couple of them were quite rare in this area. Smiling to herself and running faster, the beauty could not wait to be home in the village with her friends.

Miroku and Sango had begun building a fine house in Kaede's village and had already set out to have many children. Kagome suspected the slayer might even already be pregnant though it had only be a couple of weeks since their defeat of Naraku. They had even made good progress on the house itself. The main room had already been built and they had just begun work on an expansion when Kagome had left.

Kagome had been staying with Kaede thus far, but planned to enlist Miroku and Inuyasha to help with building her a house. She was just waiting for them to be finished with the work they already had underway. There was also the matter of the jewel to settle. Kagome knew what needed to be done, but she wanted to make a couple more visits home before she said goodbye. The consensus among them was that the well would close forever after the wish was made.

While the priestess was sad to think she would never again feel her mother's arms around her or give Souta and grandpa a hard time, Kagome knew her place was here. She had spent the majority of the last year in the feudal era with her friends and Inuyasha in the struggle versus Naraku.

Kagome sighed to herself thinking about Inuyasha. Even though he was now free to do so, Inuyasha seemed completely uninterested in furthering their relationship. It was obvious to everyone that the pair had something between them, but Inuyasha seemed to stubbornly deny that fact. She slowed to a fast walk to catch her breath even as the dark clouds began to race ahead of her.

 _ **Maybe he is just unsure how to approach me? Or perhaps he is still dealing with the final loss of Kikyou? Oh, Inuyasha, we are both fools. All this time together and we haven't even kissed… Maybe it's just me that is the fool here…**_

Peering over the trees, Kagome finally saw the smoke from several chimneys rising. She would be home within the hour. _**Thank goodness that I am almost home! Everyone will have been worried about me.**_

A sudden sense of foreboding settled into the miko's heart. Trying to sort out what it was that she was feeling, her apprehension only grew. That was when she felt it. A strong demonic aura washed over her, though she could tell that it was very not close. The dark aura pulsed in the direction of the village. Kagome quickened her pace once more, no longer afraid of the rain but worried for the lives of her friends. For all she knew, Inuyasha may not be near enough to protect them.

All during her short travel, Kagome had been able to sense the presence of the completed jewel. She had left it with Kaede for fear of attracting demons while she gathered her herbs. Just now, it felt as though the jewel had disappeared. Kagome's eyebrows knit together in a deep frown. Surely, she had to be mistaken. None of her friends would have been foolish enough to mess with the jewel. Everyone knew and respected her reasons for not having yet rid the world of it.

Kagome's heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest as she pushed herself to run faster along the narrow road, ducking to avoid the occasional tree branch that hung low over the path. The miko tried desperately to pick up any sign at all of the Shikon no tama but to no avail. Panic settled in as a million thoughts raced through the priestess's mind. Foremost in her mind was the fear that some demon had managed to get their hands on the jewel somehow, but then wouldn't she still be able to sense it?

She emerged from the trees to the clearing that contained the village where she and her friends had spent many a happy day and night together. Five more steps is all she took before the rain unleased itself in a heavy sheet. The wind whipped the torrent in Kagome's face, but she pressed on without slowing.

That is, until she saw the bodies of the villagers. Half a dozen villagers lay dead in the field, covered in their own blood. Her terror and dread spiked, causing her to sprint even harder. She stopped at the first villager she came upon and her heart skipped several beats when she saw the claw marks that tore through the man's chest and throat. Kagome's heart began a furious tamponade as she ran past the remaining bodies and into the village.

Just three steps is all the distraught miko took past the first house before she fell to her knees with a scream. Little Shippou lay in a pool of blood in front of her, those telltale claw marks sunk deep into his back. Indifferent to the blood that began to spread onto her clothes, Kagome picked him up and cuddled him to her chest as the first of countless tears began to slide down her cheeks. Somehow finding the will to stand, she carried Shippou with her a few more steps to Kaede's house.

Kagome drew back the straw mat that covered the doorway. A ragged gasp escaped her lips at the spectacle before her. Yet another of her dear friend's lay slaughtered in front of her. The old woman's hand outstretched towards where the jewel used to be. The near hysterical miko knew what she would find, but she felt obligated to see the elderly priestess's wounds. Setting Shippou aside with the utmost care, Kagome turned the aged miko over to see the ravaging claw marks that marred her face, chest and abdomen.

The frantic priestess stepped backwards, tripping on the overturned table and falling to the floor next to the lifeless body of her precious Shippou. Her whole body rejected the sights she was seeing. Her ragged breaths kept catching in her throat as her heart beat away at a furious pace. Her stomach roiled with bile and the miko feared she might be physically ill right here on the floor.

The images of Miroku and Sango that passed through her mind were the only things that got Kagome up off of that floor. Kagome struggled to her feet, suddenly so very weak that she feared her legs might not hold her. She took one tentative step as a test and when she seemed able enough to continue, she hurried out of the hut. Blood stained the ground and formed pools under the bodies strewn everywhere she turned her eyes. Blinking, she tried to keep the rain out of her eyes, or were those tears? She looked for her missing friends among the remains with no immediate success. Beginning to have a modicum of hope that maybe at least those two had survived; Kagome continued in the direction that she had sensed the demonic aura going as she had approached the village.

There, at the far edge of the village, Kagome found her missing friends. Miroku was ravaged beyond recognition by the vicious claws that had ended his life. She only knew it was him from the bits of his blue and purple robes that were not completely soaked with his blood. Sango lay only a few feet away with Kohaku wrapped in her arms, each of them coated in gore and covered with those same marks. Unable to take another step, Kagome fell to her knees with a blood-curdling scream as she pulled the woman who was like a sister to her into her lap. She was overcome with her sorrow and the tears flowed freely from her eyes as she cradled Sango close, rocking back and forth as if to soothe her. For a moment, Kagome wondered who was making that awful, high-pitched keening wail…

It was coming from her.

Sesshoumaru burst through the door to Kagome's room, eyes flickering from left to right as he sought out the cause of the overwhelming fear that had permeated the area. Kagome moved restlessly on the bed, her breath coming in ragged pants and gasps. The daiyoukai could scent the saltiness of her tears amidst the appalling reek of the priestess's fear. He could hear her heart pounding rapidly as she further tangled herself in the sheets.

There was no one in the room, though Sesshoumaru looked out the window and in the wardrobe just to make sure nothing had hid its aura and scent from him. Upon discovering that his search was futile, he approached the bed slowly. The naked horror on the sleeping miko's tear filled face made his heart wrench in his chest.

"Miko?" He called to her from the edge of the bed as he sat down. She seemed not to hear as she began making this terrible sound from deep in her throat as though she were being tortured relentlessly. The inuyoukai could not cope with the sound that was even more horrible to his highly sensitive ears. Impulsively, Sesshoumaru reached out to her and drew her towards him as he called out to her again, "Kagome!"

The terror-filled miko lurched awake with glazed, tear-filled eyes. At the feel of his touch, she jerked away like a wounded animal as she tried to make sense of what was happening. Sesshoumaru did not allow her to move away, but instead pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. He whispered to her soothingly, "Shhh, it's safe here. No one can hurt you."

The fear and panic began to subside with his careful ministrations. Kagome blinked a few times to clear her vision and looked up into Sesshoumaru's face. At his gentle expression, Kagome blinked a couple more times, as she knew must still be dreaming.

The daiyoukai let his arms drop, though he did keep a minimal contact with her when he saw that she had fully awaken. Deep inside, he could feel his beast whine at the cessation of contact; he could literally feel it pawing at him from the inside. Mentally shaking himself, Sesshoumaru looked down into the shimmering blue eyes of the distraught priestess, "Are you alright?" He asked softly.

When she realized his expression was not changing, Kagome stopped blinking at him and tried to sit up. She found herself hopelessly tangled in the bedsheets and settled for propping herself up with her arm. Realizing what must have happened; Kagome sighed and looked away, "It was just a bad dream."

Sesshoumaru raised an incredulous eyebrow at the obviously lying miko, "The intensity of your fear drew me from my bed sure that you were about to be slain, miko. This was no simple 'bad dream'."

Kagome shook her head, trying to clear it of the lingering images of the recurring night terror. She had been having this exact nightmare for three years. Though they had become less frequent as time when on, the sheer horror never seemed to wane. Unable to meet the inuyoukai's eyes, Kagome shrugged and stared at the hand in her lap, "It's nothing, really."

The look Sesshoumaru sent her way was completely lost on the miko as she refused to tear her gaze from her lap. He listened as her breathing and heartbeat returned to normal and studied her profile. Her eyes were puffy from her tears and her lips were pink and swollen. He watched as she bit on her bottom lip, oblivious to his eyes on her. Sesshoumaru was struck by how beautiful the vulnerable woman beside him was in this moment. He wanted to know what could possibly be haunting her so deeply and why she was unwilling to share. Reaching out, he cupped her chin in his fingers and gently turned her to face him. The deep, unrelenting sorrow in her eyes made his eyebrows knit into a soft frown. Once again, he tried to get her to share with him the demons plaguing her soul.

"Tell me," he said softly. Though technically a command, the two simple words came out as a gentle query.

"I… just can't. Please… just drop it for now, okay?" Kagome's eyes pleaded with him and Sesshoumaru gave the miko a slight nod.

Standing, Sesshoumaru responded to her request, "As you wish."

Kagome watched as he moved towards the door, feeling him shut himself off. She regretted being unable to explain to him what it was that haunted her, but she had only ever shared the story of what had happened to her companions once in the three years that had passed. Somethings were just too hard to talk about to anyone. Though Sesshoumaru had seemed caring enough in the moment, it was not as if they were close in any way. Their paths had intersected many times in the past during the quest to destroy Naraku, but Kagome had never shared so much as a genuine conversation with the regal lord. He had saved her life more than once, yet she felt no closeness with the daiyoukai.

Sesshoumaru stood near the door to Kagome's room for several moments. He was about to walk away and head back to his own chambers when he caught the scent of the miko's tears once again. At the insistence of his beast and his own puzzling concern for the woman, Sesshoumaru stood sentinel outside of her door until her tears finally stopped and the miko's breathing became the calm, deep breaths of slumber.

 **AN: I am so very sorry if anyone else felt compelled to cry at Kagome's vision of the past. My muse is an evil spirit indeed. However, now the transformation in Kagome's character makes more sense. I will try to post another chapter before I return to work Monday morning, but no promises made. Stay tuned for the next chapter!**


	5. Burying the Past

**AN: The highly anticipated next chapter his here! Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to review the last chapter. I will warn you though; I intend to keep you waiting a bit longer before giving too many more details of Kagome's troubled past surface. To be honest, this story is just kind of writing itself so far and even I don't know where we might end up. Any suggestions, ideas or other feedback is more than welcomed if you want to send me a message!**

 **Without further ado, (Other than the disclaimer) I give you Chapter 5!**

 **I do not own Inuyasha nor any of the characters. I claim ownership only to my unique characters and plot. No profit is being made by the creation of this story.**

Kagome woke with a lingering sense of dread after reliving her personal terrors last night. The memory of Sesshoumaru waking her from her dreams made her cheeks suffuse with a light pink blush. His gentle treatment of her last night was wholly unexpected and Kagome could not help but wonder what that was all about. The miko continued to ponder the events of the night until she heard the rap of knuckles against the door to her chambers.

Drawing herself out of the bed, Kagome went to the door and opened it enough to see who was on the other side. Mayumi smiled at the priestess as the door cracked open, her voice cheerful as she spoke, "Good morning, my lady miko."

Kagome opened the door to the friendly hanyou with a returned smile, "Good morning. Please come in, Mayumi."

The pretty half demon bowed her head to the priestess and entered the room. Turning to Kagome, Mayumi queried, "May I help you dress and prepare for your day, lady miko?"

"Please, Mayumi, call me Kagome. The formalities may cease when you enter my door."

"As you wish… Kagome," replied Mayumi with a warm smile, appreciative of the kindness of the priestess.

Kagome moved to her pack and rummaged around inside. Pulling out her one good kimono, the miko let out a heavy sigh at how wrinkled the garment appeared. She stood up, shaking out the rumpled red and white kimono. Mayumi took one look at it before taking it from Kagome's hands and smiling.

"Lady- Kagome, I do believe we can get your kimono cleaned and provide you with something to wear in the meantime." Mayumi walked over to the wardrobe and opened it. Her fingers traced the along the sleeves of the kimono until settling on one in a deep shade of royal purple. Pulling it from the wardrobe, the hanyou held it up for Kagome's inspection.

The kimono was made of beautiful silk. The deep purple shimmering in the light coming from the open window. Moving halfway up the hem and sleeves were sakura blossoms in shades of pink and white twined along rich brown branches. The obi was a lighter shade of purple that matched the fabric of the kimono's neckline.

"I couldn't possibly-" Kagome began to say, but Mayumi cut her off with a bow.

"My Lord's orders, my lady miko." She responded as if that settled everything. Kagome sighed, shaking her head.

"Kagome, please. I suppose if Lord Sesshoumaru gave you an order then I must abide," the priestess replied begrudgingly.

Nodding her head in approval, Mayumi waited while Kagome stripped off her sleeping clothes and slipped into her undergarments. The hanyou made quick work of dressing the miko. Using more efficiency than Kagome had ever mastered in binding the soft silken ties. The priestess was a bit in awe of her proficiency though it only made sense since she had been born in this era.

Mayumi led the miko to the dressing table, bidding her to sit in front of the looking glass. Kagome watched the nimble fingers of the hanyou work through her tangled tresses before using grabbing the brush to bring her hair to high luster. Mayumi made short work of twisting Kagome's hair up on top of her head. Using a pair of silver combs that she produced from a drawer, the hanyou secured the heavy mass of hair.

Kagome stared at her own reflection in the mirror, barely recognizing the woman who stared back at her. Only the circles beneath her eyes betrayed the haunted young miko's restless night. Turning to face Mayumi, Kagome spoke, "Thank you, Mayumi. You have been a wonderful help to me. I barely recognize myself."

Mayumi beamed happily, her voice light as she responded, "Nonsense, Kagome. You are truly a beauty and it was my pleasure to help you see that. Now, it is time I lead you to have breakfast with my Lord."

Kagome's eyes went wide at the mention of breakfasting with Sesshoumaru, belying her surprise. However, she knew better than to say anything to contradict the daiyoukai. Suppressing a sigh, the priestess responded, "Yes, Mayumi, please lead the way."

The miko followed Mayumi quietly as she led the way down the stairs and through the corridors of the palace. Kagome took the time to marvel at the intricate carvings that appeared to cover many of the doorways and walls of the opulent castle. The decadent tapestries and artwork that covered the walls drew her attention though she did not have the time to stop and study the details of them.

All too soon, Mayumi stopped in front of a pair of double doors and opened them for her. Kagome schooled her features into a blank mask as she walked into the room. Her eyes sought out the molten gold of Sesshoumaru's eyes as she walked to the seat on his right. His face gave away nothing of their encounter during the night and for that, Kagome was thankful.

"Good morning, Lord Sesshoumaru," Kagome said in a neutral tone as she took her seat.

"I trust you managed to get some sleep," was his cool reply. It seemed that his rush to her rescue in the middle of the night had never happened and the miko heaved an internal sigh of relief.

"Yes, thank you, my Lord," Kagome said quietly as she reached to serve herself from the platters arranged on the table. The miko's stomach growled at the lavish feast that had been laid out before her seat. She had not eaten so well in a long time.

The pair ate in silence as the servants milled in and out of the room to refill their tea and ask after their needs. As the absolute quiet stretched out, Kagome found it harder and harder to focus on her plate. She knew that sooner or later he would again ask about her terrors in the night. The miko was not looking forward to having to tell the daiyoukai once again that she was unable to share with anyone the events of that day so very long ago.

Sesshoumaru watched the priestess as she picked at her breakfast. He wanted to ask again what had caused her to relive such terror in the safety of the world of dreams. The daiyoukai knew better than to ask while in the presence of others. Perhaps once she had finished, he would bring her with him into the gardens or his office to talk.

Seeing the priestess push away her plate, Sesshoumaru took the opportunity to speak to her, "Miko, please follow me to my study. We have matters to discuss," the daiyoukai said as he stood from the table.

Kagome stood and followed him out of the dining hall at his request, declining to verbally answer his request. She could feel butterflies stirring up in her stomach in nervous anticipation of the encounter she was sure was about to ensue. He led her down the hall to yet another intricately carved doorway and opened it for her. The miko stepped inside a relatively small room that contained a large wooden desk with chairs seated in front of it. She chose one of the seats opposite his desk and stared down at her hands folded in her lap.

Sesshoumaru walked around the desk to sit in his customary seat and eyed the wary miko. Deciding that if he ventured nothing then he would gain nothing, the daiyoukai spoke softly to the stubborn priestess, "I wish to ask what it was that disturbed your slumber last night. I realize that you are reluctant to share the answer with me, but you can trust this Sesshoumaru to keep your confidence."

Kagome sighed heavily and looked up from her hands. Meeting his eyes carefully, the weary miko responded quietly, "Lord Sesshoumaru, it was nothing but a nightmare. I promise you that I am fine and that it is nothing you need to concern yourself over. More importantly, what is to be my place here? You have claimed my life, and rightfully so since I lost to you in our battle. I cannot help but wonder what it is that you would have from me."

Sesshoumaru was immediately incensed at the miko's stubborn refusal to share whatever it was that she was keeping from him. Reminding himself that she did have a right to privacy, the daiyoukai pondered what he wanted from her. Honestly, he had only claimed her life because the only other option at that point would have been to kill her by inuyoukai standards.

Choosing his thoughts carefully, he spoke, "To be honest, This Sesshoumaru did not have a plan when you were brought here. Perhaps you would like it if I allowed you to work with the healers and learn more about healing related to youkai?"

Kagome sighed internally, thankful that Sesshoumaru had let it go about last night. Thinking about the proposed idea, she thought it might not be such a bad idea to learn more about the healing arts from a different perspective. The miko gave the daiyoukai a small smile and replied, "I think I would like that. Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru."

"I will have Mayumi present you to the healers in the morning then. As for today, why don't you take a look around the palace and gardens? We can discuss this more when I have had time to think about it."

Kagome stood and bowed to the daiyoukai, responding before she made her exit, "My thanks again, Lord Sesshoumaru. We shall speak again whenever you are ready."

The miko did not waste time in leaving the office to go exploring the castle. She had to admit to herself that the imposing lord made her more than a little uncomfortable with his piercing gold eyes. They had a way of seeing things she would rather keep hidden. Feeling lighter of heart, Kagome made her way out to explore the gardens.

Shortly after Kagome made her exit, Sesshoumaru sent for a messenger. He gave the youkai the location of Kaede's village and instructed him to find out whatever he could about the miko's friends and his hanyou half-brother. It felt a little underhanded to send someone out to find the information he wanted, but the daiyoukai had a feeling he might wait a long time if he waited for the miko herself to tell him.

~ Back at Kaede's village ~

He walked slowly among the abandoned homes, eyes focusing on anything familiar. He had not been here in three years. Honestly, he had thought never to come back but something had drawn him back to this place. All evidence of the slaughter that had happened here so long ago had been erased by the rain and passage of time. All evidence except the graveyard at the edge of town.

The male took the time to gather flowers from the nearby meadow and place them on each of the graves. He stood for a long time just staring down at the grassy swells that encased the bodies of the people he once knew. Someone had taken the time to mark each grave with the name of the deceased.

Past the neat rows of the graves of the villagers were five graves that stood apart. The loved ones buried here had been arranged in a circle. Their 'headstones' were curiously laid in the center and the man could almost picture them laying on the grass with their heads together, laughing like old times as the sun passed overhead. Each one of these graves had a small heart carved into their headstone.

He hung his head as he approached these. He knew each of their names without having to look at the roughly carved markings. Tracing his fingers along each letter, hundreds of memories assaulted him from days gone by. Strangely though, the man was unable to shed a single tear even knowing they had paid so dearly.

Kagome spent her day exploring all over the grounds and castle. Everywhere she went held new surprises and beauty she had not imagined. The miko had to admit that she was just a little in love with the western palace. She had never dreamed of a place like it in all her years wandering the feudal era. The place could even rival many of the modern buildings she had seen before becoming trapped in this time.

The gardens alone had occupied her morning fully. There were flowers she had never seen before mixed in with every shade and type of flower that she ever had seen. The fountains and statues were each unique and obviously made with great care. A whole corner of the garden was dedicated to a pond surrounded by weeping willows that Kagome could see herself lounging under for hours with a book. The ever-prevalent sakura trees tastefully mixed in with the rest of the plant life and provided strategic shade for several stone benches scattered throughout the gardens. Overall, the grounds reminded Kagome of the botanical garden she had visited once with her mother and Souta when she was young.

Roaming the castle was not nearly as much fun as exploring the gardens had been. Everywhere she went the miko was confronted with looks ranging from curiosity, shock, mistrust and thinly veiled hostility. Much to her relief, no one had bothered to stop her and question what she was doing here. Honestly, the priestess had no real answer for that question which only increased her relief at not having to speak with the youkai that had crossed her path.

So far, her favorite places inside the castle were the large dojo that stood apart from the castle itself, and the library. Kagome had stumbled on the library out of pure coincidence. She had not wanted to just go around opening doors to see what lay on the other side. While passing through the hall that held Sesshoumaru's office, the miko had happened to spot someone walking out of the library and caught a glimpse of what lay inside.

Kagome had been stunned when she let herself into the room. Every wall was covered in floor to ceiling bookshelves containing books, scrolls and parchments filling nearly every shelf. Some of the texts were in languages she did not understand while others were so old that she dare not handle the fragile paper for more than a few moments. The miko had perused the shelves until she had found something to her liking before returning to her chambers to read the afternoon away.

After the first hour of reading, Kagome found that her attention was lacking and it had nothing to do with the very interesting book she had brought up to her room. The miko sighed as she lay back on her bed and stared up at the ceiling. It was only the very first day and already she found herself itching to get out, explore, and be on her own again. She had lived that way for the last three years and being cooped up inside the palace walls was going to take some getting used to.

It was strange how she suddenly felt lonely when surrounded by the teeming life forces around her. The miko had gotten used to being alone with her thoughts and no having a care of who might be nearby. Suddenly she had been thrust back into living around people again.

 _ **Well… Demons anyway**_. She corrected herself.

Kagome had not let a single person close to her while she had searched for her friends' killer. For two full years, she had wandered the country in search of even the smallest of clues as to where they had gone, and for two full years she found nothing. While she had still kept her eyes and ears open, the last year she had stopped focusing on finding the murderer. The miko knew that they were probably long dead at someone else's hands, but some part of her refused to believe that. A deep, aching piece of her heart still demanded vengeance at her hand for the betrayal.

 _ **Someday I will find out what happened to you… and if you are still among the living, I will send you to the netherworld without a shred of regret…**_


	6. The Wound Opens Again

**I do not nor ever will have any claim to the characters or plot of Inuyasha. All praise to the immensely creative Rumiko Takahashi. I make no profit from the writing of my stories.**

Kagome bent over to gently pick sprigs of the herbs she had found. This was her first excursion outside of the palace walls since she had been brought here a week ago. The miko had learned many new things from the youkai healers. She had no idea that some of the common herbs she would use to heal her fellow humans could actually be poisonous to those with youkai blood. Looking over her shoulder, Kagome smiled as she held up her findings for her teacher to see.

"Very good, Kagome. You have an excellent eye for distinguishing herbs. As you know, Devil's walking stick looks strikingly similar to Angelica. While Angelica is useful for humans, it is poisonous to all but the most poison resistant youkai. Do you remember what the Devil's walking stick is used for?"

"It is a pain reliever and has anti-inflammatory properties when used for demons though it is fatally poisonous to humans, Kyoko-sensei." Kagome recited for the inuyoukai that was responsible for the majority of her teaching.

"You truly are the best pupil I have ever had the pleasure of teaching, miko. One could almost forget your human heritage if not for the sting from your holy aura." Replied a smiling Kyoko. Kagome was struck by how beautiful the inuyoukai was indeed. Unlike many of the inuyoukai that Kagome had come across inside the palace, Kyoko had short-cut brunette hair that curved around her elfin ears and the markings on her neck and wrists were a deep midnight blue.

"Thank you," Kagome replied humbly. She returned to her foraging with a warm smile on her face.

The miko had been concerned about being able to cope with life at the palace behind those cold stone walls. While she still often felt suffocated by the youki that constantly surrounded her, she had been pleasantly surprised to find that she did not mind not traveling as much as she had feared. For now, she was content as long as she kept her mind occupied and her hands busy.

Kagome had been spending quite a lot of her time with Rin once she had completed her daily lessons. The girl often surprised Kagome with her open heart and capacity for acceptance. Rin had hardly batted an eye at her presence in the castle and the two had become fast friends. They often spent long afternoons in the gardens making flower crowns and reading to one another. The priestess's heart had not felt this light in so long and she was more than grateful to the young human girl.

In the past week, Kagome had only seen Sesshoumaru during meals and in passing. They spoke casually about what the miko had been learning and about Rin, but he had carefully avoided bringing up her nightmare.

 _ **Yet another thing to be thankful for…**_

"Enter," Sesshoumaru commanded in response to the knock on his office door. Looking up from his papers, the daiyoukai was pleased to note that the messenger he had sent to gather information on Kagome's past had returned.

"Is now a good time, My Lord?" the youkai queried as he entered the room.

Sesshoumaru pushed aside the parchments that he had been perusing and signaled to the young demon to have a seat. The daiyoukai replied, "Please, tell me what you have found."

His messenger took a deep breath before proceeding to explain what he had found in the empty village. He described in detail the graveyard that he had found before staring at his hands for several moments.

"Is that all, Yori?" inquired Sesshoumaru, sensing that there was more to what he had found.

"No, My Lord. Someone had recently placed flowers on all of the graves and… I caught the scent of an unfamiliar inuyoukai in the graveyard." The hesitant messenger replied.

"The hanyou?"

"No, My Lord. The scent I picked up was that of a full-blooded demon male. I attempted to track the scent but was thwarted by the rain. He seemed to have been heading west when I lost the trail."

"Thank you, Yori, that will be all." The daiyoukai dismissed the young inuyoukai.

 _ **Everyone in the village perished, including the miko's kit and all of her companions. While Yori was unable to give me more information than that, it is hard not to find the lack of a grave for Inuyasha suspicious to say the least… Perhaps it is time the lovely priestess and I had another conversation on the matter.**_

Knowing he would find Kagome in the garden's with Rin at this hour, Sesshoumaru went off in search of the pair. The miko had not been bothering to reign in her aura and it took no time at all too locate them in the far corner of the grounds underneath the willows. With his own youki tightly controlled, the daiyoukai was able to approach the females undetected.

"Kagome?" came the soft voice of his ward.

"Yes, miss Rin?" was the lighthearted response from the miko.

"Are you going to stay with me and Sesshoumaru-sama forever?" Rin's voice held obvious upset at the thought of Kagome leaving her home. There was a long pause as Kagome considered how to answer the girl still innocent to the workings of the world.

"Well, I must say that I do very much enjoy our afternoons together and I have grown quite fond of you, Rin. Having you around makes me happy." The miko chose to reply honestly, but ultimately deflected the question.

"I hope you do stay. I love being here with Lord Sesshoumaru, but it is nice having another human around. I think Lord Sesshoumaru wants you to stay too!" The guileless child exclaimed, hugging the miko around the waist tightly.

Sesshoumaru flared hi youki to announce his presence to the miko and felt the now familiar sensation of her aura and his youki clashing. It was not a conscious action on either of their parts, just a natural interaction of his demonic and her holy powers. The daiyoukai had found that he did not find the feeling unpleasant due to his high immunity to spiritual powers in general.

Kagome's head snapped up at the sudden rush of power brushing against the edge of her aura, knowing instantly to whom it belonged. Without realizing it, her smile left her face and the miko closed herself off. Rin looked through the drooping leaves of the old tree and jumped to her feet excitedly on seeing who had come to their corner of the garden.

"Lord Sesshoumaru!" She cried happily, as he made his way into their little hideout, clapping her hands in joy.

"Hello, Rin. Good afternoon, miko." Sesshoumaru nodded his head to the priestess in a minor show of deference.

"Good afternoon, my Lord," replied Kagome, coming to her feet and offering the lord a bow.

"How are the two loveliest ladies in the palace faring this fine day?" the daiyoukai queried with a genuine smile for his ward.

"We gathered flowers and then we came here to read to each other! See the pretty crown I made for Lady Kagome?" Rin said excitedly, pointing to the forgotten circlet of flowers resting atop the raven tresses of the priestess.

Sesshoumaru noticed the lightest of pink blushes staining her cheeks as she reached up to remove the beautiful ring of flowers. Without thinking, the daiyoukai stepped forward and stilled the miko's hand. She looked like a beautiful nymph with the pink and white flowers atop the inky locks of her hair.

"They suit you well, priestess." He stated simply, his hand lingering against hers for a moment.

Rin beamed contentedly at her lord's assessment of her handiwork. The innocent young human danced herself around in a circle, completely oblivious to the moment happening between the two adults.

"Kagome, would you consent to dinner with me tonight?" Sesshoumaru asked the still blushing miko.

"My Lord, I eat dinner with you every night," Kagome said with a look of puzzlement at his request. The priestess quickly lowered her hand to her lap and followed it with her gaze. The look Sesshoumaru was giving her right now was not helping her feeling of consternation.

The daiyoukai smiled again, this time it was more of a smirk. "I meant with me, alone, miko."

"Oh…" she replied stupidly, unable to fathom what was going on right now. The fact that she wanted to relax and be more easy with the powerful youkai made her all the more uncomfortable. Seeing the expectant look that Rin was sending her snapped her out of the awkward headspace and she answered more politely, "If it would please my Lord Sesshoumaru then I would be happy to dine with you this evening."

"Thank you, I will have Mayumi escort you in an hour," Sesshoumaru replied with genuine appreciation, even if he thought her choice might have been different if Rin had not been present.

"As you wish, My Lord," came her calm reply.

Sesshoumaru swept Rin up into his arms and gave her the hug that he knew she so desperately wanted. The miko had brought to his attention how starved for affection his young ward had become. While it had never been his intent to leave her feeling that way, displays such as these still did not come naturally to the daiyoukai. He supposed that was something he should thank her for over dinner. It was only through observing the interactions of the two females that he had become aware that little Rin needed this from him.

Rin giggled in pure delight as he wrapped his arms around her as she always wished that he would. Sesshoumaru was doubly rewarded when he saw the smile that graced the face of the beautiful miko in response. For a reason he could not define, that one genuine smile meant much more to him than he cared to define at the moment.

"Be a good girl and read with Kagome a bit longer, okay Rin?" the daiyoukai queried of the pretty little human girl.

Rin nodded her head enthusiastically as her lord set her feet back upon the grass, "Yes, My Lord!"

Mayumi twisted and braided the beautiful priestess's hair with abandon. The hanyou seemed much more excited than the miko about the quickly approaching dinner. Trusting in Mayumi, Kagome had let the hanyou dress her. As usual, Mayumi dressed her impeccably in a pale blue silken kimono highlighted with blue, white and purple butterflies that surrounded yellow bursts of light. Her yellow obi matched to perfection and it was obvious that the hanyou was determined to outdo herself while styling the miko's hair.

When Mayumi declared her finished, Kagome stared at a reflection in the mirror whose face did not match the finery that she was wearing. The miko felt overdressed for a simple dinner, but the hanyou insisted that she looked gorgeous. Mayumi had even gone one step further and painted her lips with red rouge. Not for the first time since her arrival, Kagome felt she was staring at someone else's reflection. Her hair was upswept intricately with several long tendrils left to graze the edges of her face and neck.

Knowing that resistance was futile when the hanyou set her skills to work, Kagome gracefully thanked her friend and stated that she was ready to go to dinner. Mayumi led her up the stairs at the end of the hall and down another corridor. The hanyou opened the door to the private dining area with a smile on her face and bowed her lady in.

Sesshoumaru looked up from his place seated at the table and for a moment was taken aback at the raven-haired temptress that entered. Her long dark lashes offset her sparkling sapphire eyes and the lip rouge made the already tempting lips of the miko even more ubiquitous, vying for attention with the rest of her countenance. The daiyoukai stood as Kagome seated herself on one of the silk covered cushions of the low table.

"You look absolutely delectable this evening, miko," he whispered in her ear before moving to take his own seat across from her.

Kagome felt a blush suffuse her cheeks at the compliment and found herself at a lack of words to respond to the daiyoukai. Rendered unable to speak, Kagome settled for a small smile and a nod of her head as thanks for the compliment.

As if sensing that she had finally arrived, servants appeared to finish setting the table with food. The small table practically groaned beneath the silver platters of food brought for their consumption. Kagome looked up at the daiyoukai, hoping for some clue as to what he was thinking. The mysterious half smile that curled his lips did little to satisfy her curiosity.

The handsome couple made small talk as they began to eat. They touched on her training with Kyoko, her fondness of his library and her enjoyment of spending time with Rin. Sesshoumaru gave her a look that left her wondering before speaking softly, "I appreciate the time you spend with Rin. You have made me realize that she has far too little affectionate companionship. I shall be looking into finding her a human instructor if I can find one willing to relocate here."

"It is truly no bother, My Lord. I am quite fond of her company. Perhaps I could assist in her teaching, if it would please you?" Kagome replied honestly and with the first thoughts that came to her mind.

"Perhaps your way is better after all, miko. I am sure there is much that you can teach her that others here have no capability in instructing her." Sesshoumaru smiled, genuinely happy for his ward and the miko before him. The two really complemented each other well. The daiyoukai had noticed that Rin had managed to make the quiet priestess more open and free of heart.

Kagome blushed lightly and stared at her plate for several moment before speaking, "If it would please you, My Lord."

"Please, when it is just the two of us, you may simply call me Sesshoumaru. Kami knows I do not often here my name spoken as such."

Kagome smiled without reservation before catching herself. Attempting to hide or diminish the effect, the miko reached for her cup of wine and took a sip. Composing herself, Kagome replied simply, "As you wish… Sesshoumaru."

Loathe to lead the conversation into territory that would cause the lovely priestess to shut herself down, Sesshoumaru proceeded with utmost caution with his next statement, "A youkai has been discovered in Edo. Whomever it was managed to escape by cover of a summer storm." He let the topic hang in order to let the priestess guide the next phase of the conversation.

"I see…" was all that the surprised miko could muster.

Sesshoumaru watched as her expression grew guarded and regretted how he had brought the topic to light. Unsure of how to proceed, he added a simple reply, "The village had been long abandoned."

Kagome stared at her hands for a long time. She was trying to summon up the courage to keep the tears at bay but found herself failing miserably. Left with no other recourse, the miko finally looked up to meet the eyes of the daiyoukai. She could feel the tears swimming in her eyes as she said, "They are all dead."

 **AN: Thanks again for the reviews and support of this story. As I have said, it is literally writing itself and I would greatly appreciate the time you take to review. If anyone wants to send a message with any ideas or additional plot twists then feel free as I am somewhat at a loss as to how far the story will progress. I hope to update again in a couple of days!**


	7. His Offer

**As usual, this humble author makes no claim on the plot or characters of Inuyasha. My only claim lies in my own plot, characters and twisted mind. No profit is made from writing this story unless you count my unending amusement and thirst for reviews.**

"They are all dead."

The words hung in the air tinging it with the tragic pall of death. Kagome blinked several times, willing the tears that threatened to dissipate. She had only told her story once in the time since her friends had left this world so abruptly. The miko recalled when she had told Myoga and Totosai of the tragic events. Her voice had been strangely calm and factual as she had relayed her tale. She had told the story as dispassionately as if it had happened to a stranger.

Kagome realized in that moment that except when she had buried them, she had never taken the time to mourn her lost comrades. She had squared her shoulders, bearing upon them her burdens, and set off to find Inuyasha. The miko had set off for vengeance and had found nothing in all this time.

Sesshoumaru stared at the lovely priestess in front of him, watching the emotions play across her face. He was unable to read what she was thinking and not for the first time, he regretted bringing up the topic. However, now that the subject had been broached, the daiyoukai found he had no idea what to say to her.

After long moments of silence, Kagome finally looked up to meet his inquiring golden eyes. She found her thoughts turning away from her sorrows, as was her custom, and turning to the daiyoukai that sat across the table from her. He was the same Sesshoumaru who had tried to kill her with his acid within the first weeks of her exploration of the feudal era, and yet, he was not.

Her mind conjured up the image of him hugging Rin. He had once professed to hate all humans and hanyou alike, but it was obvious that he loved the little human girl in his own way. While it was true that he would never be a carefree spirit whom shared his thoughts and feelings freely, Kagome found herself entranced by the change in the stoic lord. Thinking of the night he had brought her here, the miko found herself blushing at the remembrance of the daiyoukai standing so close to her in the doorway of her room.

Going back further, her mind remembered how they had met after so many years. She had killed one of the youkai loyal to him, and yet he had given her a fighting chance instead of killing her on the spot. He had many options of what to do with her once they had reached the palace, but instead of locking her away or reducing her to a servant, he had allowed her to learn and be of use. Sesshoumaru had even been cautious with her. He had been content to allow silence to accompany most of their meals and had given her space after he had been witness to the scars that haunted even her dreams. Could she trust him with this? Dare she allow herself to open herself up to the past or would the grief cause her to become mad?

Biting softly on her lower lip as she gazed into his eyes, she found that she did trust him. Taking a deep breath, she began her story, "It was just after Naraku was defeated, and I found that I had reservations about being rid of the Shikon no Tama. I put off doing what I needed to do in order to make a decision of whether I would stay here, or leave and go back to my own world. Inuyasha and I still hadn't been able to talk about the future or what it might hold for us, and I admit that this was also a source of my trepidation. I had gone out for a couple of days to find rare herbs…"

Sesshoumaru listened patiently as the miko told her story, at times pausing for what felt like an eternity before she was able to go on. When she got to the part where she had found her dead kit, Kagome finally began to cry. She cried for the loss, but more importantly, she cried for the future that they both had been robbed of. The dejected priestess seemed unable to go on for a long time and the daiyoukai spoke up, "You do not have to go on, if you do not wish to tell me, miko."

Gulping back a sob, Kagome brushed the tears off her face even as more threatened to fall. Her voice was soft and had a meek quality to it that Sesshoumaru did not expect when she spoke, "It's okay. I- I have never let myself grieve them in all this time. I carried the loss with me, but I have been wholly unable of letting them go. I have wrapped their loss around me like a cloak and allowed it drive my every action. It is time I stopped living this way if I am to ever find a shred of peace in this world."

Sesshoumaru pondered her words for a moment before standing and offering the miko his hand, "Come, we will go sit somewhere comfortable and you can share what you wish to." He led her just across the hall to a den-like area. There was a fire crackling in the hearth with a cozy looking sofa in front of it upholstered in a light shade of cream. There were also multiple chairs and a chaise in the same color arranged around a low table covered with purple silk and topped with a cut crystal vase that stood empty.

Kagome chose to sit by the fire, feeling chilled at the remembrance of the events that had ruled her life for three long years. She stared into the fire for long minutes, oblivious to her present companion sitting on the other end of the small sofa. The change of rooms had broken her train of thought and now she struggled with being able to tell him the rest of her story.

"By the time I got there, everyone was dead and Inuyasha had disappeared along with the jewel," She summarized. Kagome was glad he had suggested moving to this room as it gave her time to collect her thoughts and not be swamped by the memories she had kept at bay all this time. She would mourn her friends, but she did not want to look even more like a weak, sentimental human in front of Sesshoumaru.

The daiyoukai found himself perplexed by the sudden change but chose not to question it. He did, however, have some questions that needed answering. Choosing his words with care, the inuyoukai asked, "Are you sure it was Inuyasha's doing?"

Kagome gulped as the images replayed themselves in her mind before she was able to answer, "The jewel disappeared, Inuyasha disappeared, and everyone in the village was covered in claw marks."

"Claw marks?" Sesshoumaru repeated.

"When Inuyasha killed all those thieves after Gatenmaru had taken Tessaiga… These claw marks were the same. I don't know exactly what happened but I can tell you what I think happened." Kagome replied, meeting the daiyoukai's intent stare.

"Tell me," He beckoned, already having a good idea.

"Inuyasha took the jewel and wished to become a full demon. I think that the pure youkai blood took him over as it had done before and he slaughtered everyone near him. What I don't know, is what happened to him after that." Kagome explained, her eyes hardening as she thought of her traitorous once-friend.

"You never found him?"

Kagome's facial expressions told the story for her. Sesshoumaru saw the intense anger, perhaps even hatred, in the miko's eyes turn to resolve and finally resignation.

The miko spoke with vehemence, "I buried my friends, unable to leave them as carrion for the crows before I set out to follow him. I searched in the direction I had last felt demonic aura, but I found nothing, not even a clue as to where he had gone. I have spent the time since then searching for any clue that might lead me to him so that I might seek vengeance for my companions. I never did find much in the way of clues, but I went from village to village seeking reports of demon attacks or anything suspicious. I would have died to ensure that he left this world with me to avenge my friends. This last year, while I still keep an ear out, I had to finally accept that he is probably dead. Likely the fool was found by some other youkai and was slain in his state of madness, just as was predicted by Myoga and Totosai."

By the end of her account, Kagome's voice had lost its heat and become dull. It amazed Sesshoumaru how much she was able to convey in her body language and tone of voice. Even for all the emotion that she showed, he knew she hid her deep sadness as she always had.

The beast rose up swiftly within Sesshoumaru and he fought the urge to pull the young miko into his arms and comfort her. Though their time together had been limited, as had their interaction up until now, Kagome had become part of his pack. She may not have need of it, but Sesshoumaru realized he would always protect her. He had a coursing rage in his blood from the betrayal his brother had done to her that he found hard to quell.

His head spun with all the emotions that she had elicited from him, and it was not a pleasant feeling for the lord. His whole life had been devoid of emotion until he had saved little Rin, but even then he had limited experience with the phenomenon. He understood the protective instinct. He even understood the rage he was feeling, but since when should he feel what seemed to be compassion and remorse for the miko?

The unexpected emotion was more than just unpleasant. It caused confusion in Sesshoumaru's mind, and confusion only fueled his anger. Anger was a safe emotion, one that the inuyoukai was comfortable with and understood. The emotion-fueled anger caused his youki to flare. Involuntarily, the daiyoukai growled low in his throat.

Kagome's eyes became wide and startled as her head snapped up to look at him. Sesshoumaru's eyes had gone mostly red as his beast welled up within him. Too much emotion had snapped him into a more primal state, one where emotion was not needed. The daiyoukai was still fully aware of what was going on around him, and the startled gasp that came from the miko drew his attention.

Kagome stared warily at the daiyoukai, reeling in her aura so as not to provoke him. She did not understand that Sesshoumaru had complete control of this side of himself as she had only ever been exposed to the wild and unpredictable hanyou. Seeing the red in his eyes made her breath hitch as a burst of fear made her heart start pounding in her chest.

"You need not fear me, miko," Sesshoumaru said in a voice that was unfamiliar to her. The tone sounded thick in his throat and the words resonated with a gravelly tenor that did little to quell her fear. She sat staring at him, almost in a trance. Her breathing was shallow and rapid as her heart beat became a staccato pounding in both of their ears. The miko resembled a frightened rabbit ready to flee from a predator.

Seeing her near naked fear made his beast whine with discontent. It did not like that they had frightened one who belonged to their pack and was not deserving of such emotion. Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru took a deep breath and when he reopened them, they were his natural golden amber. The daiyoukai studied the miko from behind those impassive golden eyes as she relaxed somewhat. He listened to her breathing even out and her heart slow to near normal. She was still tense and on edge, but seeing his eyes change back had calmed the majority of her fear.

"Kagome," he began, purposefully using her name, "I am not like that half-breed brother of mine who cannot control his inner beast. My beast and I are one."

Some of the tension eased from her shoulders as she continued to stare at him. There was an odd mixture of trepidation and awe in those sparkling azure eyes of hers that amused the daiyoukai. Kagome continued to stare for a moment before finding her voice. Suddenly curious, she asked, "So you are like two beings in one body?"

"Yes and no. The beast is my baser nature, but in reality, we are one and the same." He replied, the smallest of smirks turning the corner of his mouth upwards.

"So what caused your eyes to turn red just now?" The miko inquired, her boundless curiosity making her bold.

"Anger. Anger is a base emotion that can drive out reason in lesser youkai and make them transform, for those that are able. This Sesshoumaru controls his transformation and does not allow emotion to play a part in a decision to convert to that form," He explained, his amusement heightening at her inherent inquisitive nature.

Sesshoumaru could tell that she was pondering his answer and he watched as she relaxed back into the sofa, her initial fear gone. Still curious, she asked, "So, if Inuyasha had been a full demon instead of a hanyou, he would have had the ability to transform into a giant dog?"

"Hypothetically, yes he would have been. His human blood inhibited the natural power of his youki so that he was unable to transform," Sesshoumaru explained patiently to the fascinated miko. The daiyoukai found that he liked when Kagome let the analytical part of her mind take over, it made her eyes sparkle with her interest in the subject.

"So, if human blood limits the inherent power or youki of a demon, then what causes my reiryoku to be so strong?"

"Youki and your spiritual energy are fundamentally different while being much the same. Every demon is born with youki, but few humans possess strong enough reiryoku to be able to utilize it. Just as my inherent power is much greater than most youkai, your spiritual energies are much stronger than the majority of priests and priestesses. We were both born with the immense amount of power that we have, but through training and defeating enemies, we realize its full potential and it becomes strengthened. Youki and reiryoku are opposing energies, much like yin and yang and they balance each other out. By my estimation, you and I are akin to one another in the power of our energy."

Kagome smiled and replied, "Perhaps then I should have focused less on the use of my sword and more on my inherent power during our battle." The miko laughed as she more or less teased the powerful inuyoukai.

Returning her smile, he responded, "Perhaps so. If we ever truly wanted to kill each other, it would be an interesting battle to say the least."

"What do you think happened to Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, surprising Sesshoumaru with the sudden change of topic.

"It would seem that you have come to the logical conclusion regarding the hanyou," He stated simply, as he himself had not worked out another scenario with the information that the miko had provided him. The daiyoukai was reminded of the fact that his messenger had scented a full-blooded demon at the gravesite, but was unsure how this information played into the scenario. Thinking on this, he added, "Though, perhaps he did survive. My scout was able to pick up the scent of an inuyoukai at the burial site of your village."

"True," was all Kagome could think to reply with. She maintained her calm demeanor on the outside, but on the inside, a burning wrath seethed at the thought that Inuyasha might still be alive. The miko could not stand the thought that he still breathed while her friends had died at his claws.

Sesshoumaru could sense the direction of her thoughts as her aura quietly churned between them. Part of him wanted to promise that he would personally see to the death of her betrayer, but the daiyoukai kept silent. Knowing the depth of Inuyasha's treachery, he recognized the need for retribution in her eyes. He suddenly recalled her words, 'I would have died to ensure that he left this world with me…'

Even knowing that he had responsibilities to attend to here at the palace, Sesshoumaru made her an offer, "I will go with you to investigate the report of this Inuyoukai with you, if that is what you wish."

 **AN: That's all for now folks! I have a couple more days off though, so be expecting another update soon! Please take the time to review if you have it to spare, I thoroughly enjoy hearing your thoughts and theories on what may be in store! Thanks so much to each and every person out there who has taken an interest in this story!**


	8. The Journey Begins

**As always, all praise and glory to Rumiko Takahashi for the creation of the characters and plot to Inuyasha. I sadly own nothing but the creative rights to my own story and the unique characters I have created. I make no profit in setting my plot bunnies free to run amok for your entertainment.**

Kagome woke early, the sky just beginning to lighten from the inky color of night into midnight blue over the horizon. Her aura fairly crackled with energy as she began to put her pack together for the trip ahead. The miko's resolve had hardened with the news about the inuyoukai having been scented in her home village. She would find him this time and there would be no escape for the traitorous fool. The fact that Sesshoumaru would be by her side only doubled her assurance that they would be successful in finding Inuyasha and making him pay for his crimes against his former companions, if indeed it were him that had been fool enough to come out of hiding.

Dressing quickly in the garments that she had arrived in, the dark navy blue hakama and white haori felt comforting to the determined priestess. Shaking out her cloak, Kagome pinned it around the base of her throat but left the hood down to hang over her shoulders. Smiling to herself, she gently tugged on the long black piece of weapon concealing fabric over her left hand and arm. The fabric hooked around her middle finger and reached all the way to her elbow.

At the time, she had been amazed that Sesshoumaru had not realized that she had more than one concealed weapon at her disposal. Out of respect and a desire not to wind up in the dungeons, the priestess had put the weapon away in the bottom of her pack that first night. Kagome felt a pang in her heart, recalling the day Sango had given her this replica of the small blade concealed in her slayer's uniform. The slayer's words echoed in her ears, "Just in case, you never know when it might come in handy."

Mentally shaking herself, the resolute priestess turned her attention back to the task at hand. Reaching one final time into her pack, the miko drew out a ribbon of fabric to tie her hair back from her face. As she wrapped the turquoise fabric around the bulk of her hair, Kagome was surprised at how long the inky black tresses had gotten since she arrived in the feudal era. It had not been cut once in the last four years and the longest lengths of her hair hung just past her derriere.

With a satisfied look in the mirror that she once again looked like herself, Kagome shouldered her pack and walked out of her room. Thirty-six hours had passed since Sesshoumaru had offered to accompany her to find the youkai that had been in Edo and had seemed to be heading in this direction. The daiyoukai had asked for a day to get his affairs in order before they set out. While Kagome knew that this was more than fair, she had been ready to go the moment that he had offered.

It was not that she did not like palace life, as she had initially feared upon coming here, but this burning need in her chest would not dissipate until she had finally avenged her friends. Rationally, the miko knew that revenge would not bring her friends back from the dead, but she had been unable to truly move forward in the last three years and find resolution within herself. She required this to be done in order to finally feel at peace with this life.

Climbing the stairs to the top floor that the daiyoukai occupied, Kagome knew that he would be awake and likely waiting for her. Reaching the door that she knew held his bedchamber on the other side, Kagome flared her aura to announce her presence though he had probably already sensed or scented her before she reached the top of the stairs.

Confirming the miko's thoughts, the door immediately swung open and Sesshoumaru stood dressed and ready. Already having anticipated what she would ask next, the daiyoukai had Kagome's weapons in his hands, returning them to her. She smiled as she slung her bow and quiver over the opposite shoulder from where her pack hung. Sesshoumaru watched quietly with red-lidded amber eyes as next the miko took her demon blade from him and tucked it in at her left hip. Finally, she reached and took her dagger from him, meeting his eyes and smiling as she tucked it deep in her haori.

Sesshoumaru was again reminded of how similar they had become in the past years. In their first meetings when she roamed the countryside with Inuyasha, the daiyoukai had found it foolish and a bit disturbing how rarely the young priestess actually carried her bow with her. Now, watching her stow her weapons, he could see himself donning his armor and tucking his swords in at his side before he left his room each day.

"Ready?" Kagome queried softly, trying to contain her restless energy that demanded they leave this moment.

"We have one short stop to make on our way out." He stated as he stepped out into the hall and closed his door behind him. Though the miko was attempting to conceal it, Sesshoumaru knew how eager she was to set off in search of his brother. He strode towards the stairs, Kagome falling into step behind him as he led the way to the kitchens.

Reaching their destination swiftly, the daiyoukai walked into the room and was pleased to find the parcel of food he had requested be made ready sitting just inside the door. Following Sesshoumaru's gaze, Kagome quickly realized what they were doing here and pulled her pack off her shoulder. She set it down next to the parcel and stored the wrapped food inside her pack before once again tossing it over her shoulder. Turning to meet his gaze, Kagome nodded to indicate that she was ready to begin their journey.

Wasting no time, Sesshoumaru led the way through the dining room and out of the palace to the outer courtyard. Upon seeing their lord headed for the gate, the youkai manning the gate scrambled to get it open promptly for the daiyoukai. Kagome could feel the weight of their stares as she followed on the heels of the lord of the west and fought the urge to raise her hood as they walked beneath the massive gate.

The youkai took refuge in the branches of a tall tree deep in the forest as day began to break. He had travelled all through the day and night since leaving Edo, even through the heavy rains of a summer storm. The inuyoukai was utterly exhausted as he pulled his sword from his hip and tucked it under his arm, leaning his head back against the trunk of the tree and closing his eyes.

As his mind whirled towards sleep, several thoughts passed through his sleep-deprived mind.

 _ **I need to find Kagome… She probably thinks that everything was my fault. It is my fault and I need to find her and beg for the forgiveness that I don't deserve.**_

Three long years had passed since he had seen the bright sapphire eyes and raven tresses of his longest companion. In his mind's eye, he could see her face as clearly as if she were with him now. He sighed, knowing she had been far more than a companion. Even though he had never been able to find the right words, the then hanyou believed that she knew what she meant to him. He had decided after she had left to gather herbs that when she returned he would finally speak with her about the future.

 _ **And then it happened…**_

Inuyasha could not fully contain his emotions as he thought about the day that he had finally realized his dream of becoming a full-fledged demon. He had honestly given up on the thought until that day, knowing Kagome wanted him to stay as he was, a half-demon.

Ruminating over his lost love, Inuyasha wondered what had become of her. Not a hint of her scent had remained in Edo and he knew she had not been back there in a long time. Perhaps she had never returned after taking painstaking care to bury every villager, every companion.

 _ **What could she possibly have been up to these past years that I am finding it difficult to find even a trace of her?**_

The sun was setting as Kagome started a fire to cook the large rabbit that Sesshoumaru had hunted for their dinner. As the fire came to life, the miko placed more wood on it and set off for a spot several feet from camp to clean the rabbit properly and remove the fur. Her head snapped up from her task when she sensed a demon aura nearby.

Sesshoumaru was already on his feet, golden eyes scanning the direction in which he sensed the youki. One sniff told him who was headed their direction and the daiyoukai leaned his back against the tree, waiting for the ookami to announce his presence. He was slightly annoyed that the wolf was this far west, but he waited to hear out whatever the youkai had to say.

The miko realized who was approaching soon after Sesshoumaru, the youki being distinctly familiar to her even though she had not felt it for a very long time. She finished cleaning the rabbit and moved back to camp, placing it on the fire to begin cooking. Just a moment later, Kouga strode into their camp with a confused look on his face.

"Kagome! It's been a long time," the leader of the wolf demon tribe stated, surveying the area and taking yet another sniff.

"Kouga, what are you doing so far west?" Kagome replied, looking the wolf over. He appeared exactly as he had the last time they had met, before Naraku's defeat. Smiling, the miko recalled his last words to her about coming to find him if she ever got tired of Inuyasha.

"I've been tracking a couple of demons that attempted to attack Ayame several days ago." The ookami answered simply, his sharp blue gaze taking in the changes of the lovely miko.

Sesshoumaru entered the conversation here, drawing the attention of the other two as he spoke, "You tracked them this far west and into my lands because?" The lilt of his voice at the end of the question indicated his disapproval.

"Ayame is my mate. I would travel anywhere to get my hands on the ugly youkai that dared lay a finger on her!" Kouga replied in his usual passionate manner. He followed those statements up, "Problem is, I lost track of them a day or so ago and can't seem to find the trail."

"Hn," came the only reply from the daiyoukai.

Kagome quickly spoke up, "You mean you and Ayame finally got it together?" Her laughter was genuine and Sesshoumaru thought to himself that he liked the sound of her happiness. His beast growled silently in agreement.

Kouga blushed and stuttered a little at Kagome's blunt appraisal of the situation, "Well yeah… You were obviously only interested in mutt-face and I did make her a promise." Kouga's confused look came back as his mind turned back to his original questions, "Speaking of dog breath, where is that idiot half demon and why are you hanging out with his brother?"

Kagome went silent and her gaze dropped from Kouga's face, trying to figure out how to reply to the ookami. Knowing Kouga and how rash he could be, the miko was not really looking forward to telling him anything about what had happened with Inuyasha. She certainly did not want the young leader of the wolf demons to find the traitor before she did. This was her problem and her revenge, and she would not tolerate anyone, not even Kouga, to get involved.

After the pause started to lengthen into an awkward silence, Sesshoumaru took it upon himself to answer the youkai. Leveling his impassive golden stare on the ookami, the daiyoukai responded, "I have agreed to help the miko find my half-brother."

Kouga met Sesshoumaru's gaze and found it was pretty obvious that he shouldn't ask any more questions. He was concerned with the strange mix of emotions on Kagome's face, but decided not to push it since she didn't seem willing to answer him. Deciding it was time to leave, Kouga waved to Kagome and started to walk away, calling over his shoulder to her, "I'm going to head back to my mate, but it was good seeing you, Kagome! Come visit some time when you aren't so busy. Glad to see you finally upgraded from that dumb runt, Inuyasha."

Kagome smiled at the ever-blunt wolf youkai who never filtered what came out of his mouth. She turned her head to look at Sesshoumaru to find his gaze on her. Her eyes took in his aristocratic features from the long fringe of his silver bangs to the magenta markings along his cheeks and even further down to his lean and muscled form beneath his armor and kimono.

 _ **He certainly is an upgrade…**_ The unbidden thought caused her cheeks to heat in a pretty little blush that made the daiyoukai wonder what had caused it. Judging from the way her gaze perused him, he felt certain it had to with himself and probably the crass comment from Kouga. He found that he did not mind in the least.

Needing to tear her gaze away from Sesshoumaru and keep her hands busy, Kagome turned away and went to her pack to pull out some vegetables to grill along with the rabbit for dinner. The miko kept her gaze strictly on what she was doing lest it wander over to Sesshoumaru again and give her more thoughts that she should not be having.

Sesshoumaru looked on with amusement at her embarrassment though he kept his face and gaze impassive as ever. He had known he was an attractive male specimen for many years and when he had been forced to entertain demonesses with aspirations to be his mate, they made sure to tell him so as if their preening of his ego were necessary. The daiyoukai had forever been confident in anything he did; it was just the way he was, which is why he found it so perplexing the way the little miko affected him. He had regretted causing her pain by prying into what had happened with Inuyasha and her friends. He had thought to look out for her comfort and now was ensuring her safety by traveling with her to find Inuyasha or whomever had been scented in Edo.

 _ **Perhaps I am not so unlike my father as I thought…**_ Sesshoumaru had to admit that the thought did not sit well with him, even though he had made his peace with his father's memory some time ago.

The daiyoukai reflected on his own changes since having brought Rin back to life after losing his left arm. He found that somewhere along the way, he stopped finding all humans distasteful and actually had respect for the miko he now traveled with. He had been serious when he had stated that a battle between them would prove interesting, as her reiryoku was nearly as strong as his youki. Power was something Sesshoumaru had always found worth respecting, though it was rare that he found anyone with a caliber of power worth his respect. The fact that a human woman who was still little more than a child had that level of power was disturbing to say the least.

Interrupting his musings, Kagome called from the other side of the fire, "The rabbit is done if you want any."

Though he did not need to eat at this time and he found the scent of the cooked rabbit less than palatable, Sesshoumaru moved closer to the miko and took the offered food. The pair ate in companionable silence, each caught up in their own thoughts.

Looking over at Sesshoumaru, Kagome asked, "So, what is our next move in the morning?"

"If we keep travelling towards Edo from here, it is likely we will find whomever had been at the village."

"True… Sesshoumaru?" the miko hesitantly queried.

"Yes, miko?"

"If it is Inuyasha, this is my score to settle," she said simply, hoping he would understand and not fight her on this issue.

"You are sure you want to kill him?" He asked, though he knew the desire for revenge that burned in her heart.

"It is the least he deserves for taking the jewel and slaughtering our friends." She answered automatically, but Kagome knew what he was getting at. She had already thought of how difficult this was going to be over the last three years. Her disgust at his selfish greed and her anguish at the loss of her dear friends and kit made it possible for her to believe that she was capable of looking into the face of the man she had once loved, and ending his life.

"You have my word that I will only step in if I feel your life is in danger, Kagome."

"Thank you," she replied, her lovely azure eyes meeting his with gratitude. When he did not respond after a few moments, Kagome let her gaze drop before adding, "I think I am going to get ready for sleep so we can get an early start in the morning."

"Very well," was his only reply as he watched her pull a couple of blankets out of her pack. The miko chose the tree closest to the fire to lean her bow and quiver against and laid out one of the blankets on the ground in front of it. Pulling her sword from her hip, she lay it down in front of the makeshift sleeping mat before unrolling the other blanket and laying it on top of the other.

Kagome laid down facing the fire, her eyes intent on the yellow-orange flames in such a way that Sesshoumaru stared into them too. He sat up against the same tree that he had earlier with one knee drawn up halfway to his chest, just a few feet from where the miko now lay her head. Though he did not intend to sleep, the daiyoukai closed his eyes and listened to the night sounds around him. It was a long time before he heard her breathing deepen into that of slumber, and when he opened his eyes, he half smiled at seeing the edge of her dagger poking out of the blanket with her hand wrapped around the hilt.

 **AN: Thanks again to all of my readers on and Dokuga! Special shout out to Mutnodjmet on Dokuga for the multiple long reviews that always make me smile to read them and anxious to update faster. Also, a very special shout out to Selenityhyperion for taking the time to send me some fabulous ideas for the story that ya'll will get to read about soon enough! Please take time to review. I will hopefully get one more update in this week if possible**


	9. Developments

**All creative rights to the characters and original storyline belong to Rumiko Takahashi and I make no claim to them. I claim rights to my own unique characters and this run amok plot bunny. No profit is being made by the creation of this story except for reviews, those are definitely a profit!**

Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open in shock; he had fallen asleep at some point. Looking around the camp and flaring his senses outward, he realized that Kagome making noise in her sleep had woken him. The miko moved restlessly, but he could tell this was not the same dream that had drawn him to her room at the palace. She did not have any scent of fear on her and her aura was relatively calm.

Looking to the sky, Sesshoumaru determined that it was about an hour before daybreak and decided to let her rest a while longer. Standing with the intent to scout the area before they broke camp, Sesshoumaru started to head into the trees.

"Sessh…oumaru," Kagome said softly in a voice that sounded vulnerable to his keen ears. The daiyoukai turned back around and stepped closer to where the miko had lain for the night. He was surprised to find that she was still sleeping.

Sesshoumaru smirked, his ego getting a little boost from knowing that the priestess was having a dream about him. Satisfied that she was not going to wake up yet, the daiyoukai went ahead to scout the area with one ear out for the sleeping miko in camp. He heard her wake a few minutes later and begin cleaning up her sleeping space.

Striding back into camp, he leaned against the tree he had slept under and watched Kagome finish rolling up the second blanket. The miko turned and gave him a small smile, "Good morning, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Did you sleep well?" he asked nonchalantly, watching as she kicked dirt over the remaining embers from the fire last night.

"Not as well as I did at the palace in those wonderful feather beds, but I slept okay," Kagome joked as she finished breaking camp with practiced ease. Politely, she asked after him, "Did you sleep at all?"

"I did fall asleep briefly, though not for long as a certain restless miko woke me," He answered truthfully, the daiyoukai's gaze still following Kagome as she put her pack, bow and quiver over her shoulder and began to stow her sword.

"Oh? Sorry, I don't always sleep peacefully," the miko replied, reaching at last for her dagger to store away inside her haori.

"No apology needed. There are worse ways to wake than hearing my name on your lips," Sesshoumaru meant to state it in a matter of fact way, but it sounded more like he was teasing her even to his own ears.

Indeed, the smirk on his lips only increased when she looked up her bright sapphire eyes widened. Sesshoumaru had to suppress a smile as her cheeks began to suffuse with a soft pink blush. He stepped forward a couple paces until he was standing in front of her. Her eyes remained stubbornly fixed on his chest, not quite able to make eye contact in this moment.

"Is something the matter, Kagome?" The daiyoukai asked in a soft voice, using her name, which still had a foreign sound on his tongue. He had known her name for years, but using it was another thing entirely. Sesshoumaru watched the muscles of her throat work as she swallowed before daring to look up at him from beneath her long fringe of lashes. Sesshoumaru was so very tall compared to her petite 5'2" self.

The highly amused liquid gold eyes that looked down at her did not help her embarrassment in the least, nor was him standing so close. Kagome was finding it very hard to concentrate. She found herself at a loss for words and began biting at the corner of her lip. The nervous tic did not help her case in the least; in fact, she found that it drew his eyes down to her lips and that made focusing even more difficult.

Before she could process exactly what was happening, Sesshoumaru took advantage of the quietly stunned miko, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers. The daiyoukai had to suppress a growl within his throat when he realized those petal-pink lips were even softer than they looked. When Kagome gasped softly in surprise, he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss.

The bewildered miko could not believe what was happening to her at that moment, but she found that when his lips touched hers the world started to fall away from her. Gone was her sense of anything around her happening, all five of her senses were wholly focused on the youkai currently plundering her lips. Starting to feel a bit dizzy, she placed her hand on his chest and he leaned back from her marginally. It was then that she remembered to breath.

Kagome took a couple of deep breaths to clear the haze from her mind before she finally looked back up at Sesshoumaru. Those molten gold eyes held hers intently, though his were somewhat guarded. Wondering if this moment could get any more awkward, Kagome took a half step back. Unable to think of anything else to say, the miko mumbled softly, "What was that?"

"That was a kiss," He stated in that same amused tone he had been using before he kissed her.

Unable to help herself, Kagome chuckled at his sarcasm. It was hard to tell if it was intentional or not, but it was nonetheless humorous. Smiling at the daiyoukai and feeling her face heat, Kagome responded, "Yes, it was a good kiss even, but why?"

"Because I wanted to, and you did not seem unwilling," A smirking Sesshoumaru replied.

Shaking her head with a smile still curving her lips, Kagome honestly did not know how to reply to him, yet again. The words he spoke were true and he knew it, but that did not mean that she had to admit to them. Meeting his amused amber eyes with her own mirthful blue ones, Kagome said simply, "C'mon, let's go."

Rin finished with her lessons for the day and wandered out into the garden with a book. She was already missing Kagome and Lord Sesshoumaru even they had just left yesterday morning while she was still sleeping. They had all had dinner together the night before, and they informed her that they were leaving for a time. Rin had asked to come along, just like in the old days when she traveled with her Lord and Jaken, but Lord Sesshoumaru said that it could be dangerous.

Sighing, Rin sat under the willow in her and Kagome's favorite spot and began to read a book of fairy tales that Kagome had found for her in the library the day before. The little human girl found that she was having trouble concentrating on the book and found her thoughts turning to Kagome and Lord Sesshoumaru. She wondered what they were out doing that she could not come and hoped that they would both return safely to her.

Rin found herself daydreaming about the three of them being a family. Rin had never liked another human as much as she did Kagome. The miko was always kind and patient with her and they had so much fun picking flowers and making up stories. Kagome always had the best stories, ones that Rin had never heard before.

Jaken's irritatingly high-pitched voice broke through her reverie, "Rin! Rin, where are you?"

Running out from under the branches of the tree, Rin called out to him, "I'm here, Master Jaken."

"Rin! There you are!" The green toad looking imp ran awkwardly over to where Rin was standing, waving to him. He stopped in front of her, panting and out of breath.

"Hello, Master Jaken," Rin said brightly. Though Jaken had not always been exactly nice to her, Rin had a heart of gold and never treated the imp poorly.

"They told me Lord Sesshoumaru has left the palace! Where has he gone, Rin?" Jaken asked huffily. He did not like when he was left out of the loop. He was used to being called upon by his Lord to accompany his travels outside the castle. The imp was certainly feeling offended at not having been asked to come along.

"He and Lady Kagome left yesterday morning. They did not say exactly where they were going, just that they were going to be gone for at least a few days," Rin answered truthfully. The little one did not have a deceitful bone in her body, even if Jaken's self-righteous attitude grated on her at times.

"He left with that woman?" Jaken repeated, feeling even more upset. His voice raising an octave as it was wont to do when the imp was upset.

"Yes, with Lady Kagome," Rin repeated for him, hoping he was not going to go off on another of his long rants about humans and being inferior.

Looking sadly at the ground, Jaken said quietly, "Why did he take her and not me!"

"I don't know Master Jaken, but it seemed like they were on business for Lady Kagome," Rin answered, hoping the imp would not start breaking down in tears like he was liable to do when left behind by Lord Sesshoumaru.

"Hmmph, so it's all that woman's fault then!" Jaken felt at least somewhat vindicated, being able to blame it on her instead of thinking his Lord did not want him by his side.

"Master Jaken, be nice! Kagome has been wonderful to have around the castle! I think Lord Sesshoumaru likes her," Rin shared the observation with Jaken, hoping to calm him a little and also feeling excited by the prospect.

Jaken began laughing insanely. It took several moments before he was able to speak and reply to Rin, "Don't be silly, Rin. Lord Sesshoumaru does not have any interest in a human woman! Demonesses have sought after him since he came of age. No human is going to succeed at winning his attention when dozens of lovely demon ladies have failed!" Jaken continued laughing at the thought.

"You might be surprised, Master Jaken," was all Rin could say on the matter. She had never seen Lord Sesshoumaru look at anyone the way he had looked at Lady Kagome that night at dinner.

Kagome pondered her quiet travel partner. After the interesting happenings of the morning, he was mostly quiet, and the miko wondered if he regretted kissing her. She was completely innocent in matters of physical love; she and Inuyasha had never even kissed despite all the time they had spent together. Even so, that kiss held a lot more passion than she cared to ponder. He had been gentle with her, either because he knew she was innocent or perhaps it was just because it was a first kiss. Either way, Sesshoumaru had been more gentle than she had ever thought that he could be.

The miko was forced to contemplate things that she had never considered before. Ever since her betrayal by Inuyasha, love and romance had been the furthest things from her mind. She had spent the last three years searching for revenge and making her way alone. The last year, the priestess had avoided people as much as she could and her social skills were more than a little rusty.

Kagome smiled when thinking of Sesshoumaru's sarcastic humor earlier, after they had kissed. She found that she appreciated the dry sense of humor and the way he had given her some space afterwards. The miko tried hard not to blush as she thought of the kiss itself. It had been both gentle and so intense that the world had fallen away from her in that moment.

However, Kagome was also more than a little bit confused. She had never in her life thought that the daiyoukai would be interested in someone such as her. She was just a human woman, plain and ordinary, and yet he had made her feel beautiful with his interest, no matter how slight it may be.

 _ **Maybe he was just curious?**_ She wondered. Kagome had never known Sesshoumaru to have more in the way of emotions than anger, annoyance, and curiosity. The miko had been more than a little curious about his relationship to the little human girl, Rin. From what she had seen at her short time in the palace, Sesshoumaru truly seemed to care for the girl, having named her his ward and all.

 _ **Perhaps he isn't as adverse to humans as he once was… Maybe Rin opened a spot in his heart that had previously been unknown even to him.**_

Sighing, Kagome noticed that the sun was going down and knew they would have to make camp soon. The miko had to admit that she was tired. She had only spent a short time at the castle, but that time was mostly spent on leisure and education. Kagome had lost some of the stamina that she had built up from long years of travel, even in just over a week.

The miko turned to look at Sesshoumaru as he was currently walking side by side with her since the path had opened up a ways back. She studied the features of his face, memorizing them as they walked along. The purplish-blue of the crescent moon on his forehead contrasted well with his features and she found the magenta markings just above and below his cheekbones fascinating. What drew her attention the most, however, were those unusual eyes of his. They were at once expressive and impassive, and the shade of them varied from dark amber to the molten gold that she had discovered she liked so much this morning. Fringed by long dark lashes and highlighted by the reddish color of the line across his eyelids, those golden orbs were by far his most captivating feature.

Sesshoumaru knew she was studying him from her place at his side, and he was definitely not adverse to her stare. He, himself, had been wondering since this morning about his own actions and thoughts in regard to the beautiful little miko. The daiyoukai knew that he found her to be attractive in a way that he had never known, but even he knew this was against logic. He knew that he was meant to find a youkai bride and breed pure children, and yet he found the thought of the demonesses that he had met in his life repulsive. Each of them was after his fame, wealth or legacy, none of them even cared about him other than the fact that he was attractive and would make handsome children.

Even in comparison to his father, his father had made a good match and bred himself before he fell in love with the human Izayoi. Sesshoumaru would be risking the end of his father's line as it was to pursue his interest in Kagome, and yet he found it hard to care overly much for this detail.

Trying to rid himself of the thoughts plaguing him, Sesshoumaru turned to meet the eyes of his traveling companion, speaking in his usual distant tone, "Let's make camp."

Kagome nodded her agreement and surveyed the area around them. She had to admit that the daiyoukai had a good eye for strategic campsites. The area they were in sat higher than the land on any side and yet was still in the forest to give them cover. Taking the initiative and moving just a little higher up off the path, Kagome set down her pack and retrieved her flint from inside to start a fire.

Sesshoumaru had no need of fire, nor a true campsite, but he found himself spellbound as he watched her begin her now familiar routine. It was obvious that she had been doing this for a long time and each task had its priority when setting the camp. Always first came making a small fire pit and spending the time to coax the fire to life. Then would come the time to worry about finding food for herself. They were very near a river and likely, she would go and catch a couple fish for dinner. It did not matter that he did not need to eat, she would always offer. Though they had only been out for two days now, he had already seen what a creature of habit she was and could predict how the night would go.

Scenting a nearby boar, he decided to save her the trouble of fishing and catch a bigger game for tonight's dinner. Sesshoumaru went off in search of the boar he smelled as she was working to start the fire.

 **AN: Sorry for the rather abrupt end to the chapter, but I want to save the conversation in store to start the next one, and this one has gotten long enough. As always, I love your reviews, so please leave me one! I work the next couple of days and have plans for Monday so it might be a few days before the next update. Hope you all enjoy the double update for today and I promise I will get back to writing as soon as I can!**


	10. Forging a Connection

**AN: I am back from my short absence and hope to more than make up for the delay with a nice long chapter! Please enjoy and take a moment to review. Without further ado, I bring you chapter 10!**

 **As always, the credit for Inuyasha and its characters belongs to the illustrious Rumiko Takahashi and I make no (serious) claim to them. My stories and the reviews they draw are their own profit, but I make no monetary gains from my writings.**

Kagome got the fire started with practiced ease after a couple of minutes and sat on a well-placed rock within their chosen campsite. She smiled when Sesshoumaru walked into camp shortly after and handed her the boar he had killed for their dinner. Already feeling hungry, Kagome took the animal a few feet from camp and cleaned it.

The years of practice meant that the miko was no longer squeamish about the process, though it was definitely not one of her favorite chores. Long gone were the days when Inuyasha or Miroku would clean game for her. Kagome felt a familiar pang in her chest, the same one she always felt whenever she thought of the days she had spent with her companions.

Shaking her head to clear out the saddening thoughts, the priestess moved back towards camp and laid the boar's remains on the rock she had been sitting on earlier. Kagome found some sturdy green sticks to use in order to make a spit and set to work lashing together the end pieces on either side of the fire. Satisfied with her handiwork, the miko moved back to the boar. She cut off a few hunks of the meat before skewering the beast on the longest of the sticks she had found and shaped for her purpose.

Kagome set the boar over the fire and let it start cooking before turning her attention to the meat she had cut away. She reached into her pack for the precious salt that had been packed away with the foodstuffs from the palace. Setting down the packet, the miko dug into the bottom of her pack for her salting dish. Salting meat was essential in this era when traveling, as one could not always hope to hunt or fish their dinner.

 **Unless they have Sesshoumaru handy…**

The priestess smiled at the truth of the thought. Though the pair had only been traveling together a short while, Kagome could already see the difference between how she ate while traveling alone and now. She had often settled for foraging roots, berries and mushrooms instead of bothering to hunt her dinner. The miko knew how precious her finite supply of arrows could be, and unless she knew that she would be able to obtain more at a nearby village, she often refrained from doing anything to risk losing one.

Kagome walked out of camp with her salting dish for the nearby spring that they had passed a short time ago. While it was not much of a spring, the water looked clean and ran deep enough she could obtain enough water for her salting without much effort.

Feeling Sesshoumaru's aura move, she looked over her shoulder and asked softly, "What?" The miko flared out her aura searching for whatever was causing the daiyoukai to follow her out of camp. She frowned when she was unable to sense anything.

"What are you doing," Sesshoumaru answered, his amber eyes gleaming with his typical inquisitiveness.

Kagome laughed softly, finding his unending curiosity to be one of his most interesting traits. Gesturing to the bowl she held, the miko explained, "I am going to salt cure some of the boar meat so that it will stay unspoiled."

"Hn," was all that he said in reply, but he continued to follow her as she made her way to the stream. Kagome dipped the edge of the dish into the upper layer of the water and let it fill most of the way. Balancing it carefully, the miko turned around to head back to the camp.

"That's it, I just needed some water," she explained, seeing the silent question in Sesshoumaru's eyes. The miko smiled as she walked back towards the camp, suddenly feeling at a new accord with the daiyoukai. It amazed her that she could sometimes understand what he was thinking without a word.

They made it back to camp and Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome turned the boar that hung over the fire before returning to the rock where she had left the meat and salt. The miko heavily salted the water in her dish before laying in the hunks of meat. She made sure that every piece was covered with the salted water before setting it aside.

"That's all there is to it. I'll let it sit over night before packing it in the morning to take with us. It won't be as good as the fresh meat we will eat tonight, but it will be edible and save us from having to hunt," Kagome patiently explained to Sesshoumaru as she chose a tree to sit against.

"Why does that keep it from spoiling?" The daiyoukai asked, peering into the bowl of meat.

"Meat goes bad because of bacteria, which are tiny invisible creatures that live all around us. Those bacteria don't like to live where there is too much salt. So, salting the meat keeps the bacteria out and the meat doesn't spoil," the miko explained as best as she could, knowing he wouldn't have any clue about microbiology.

"Tiny, invisible creatures?" Sesshoumaru asked, trying to grasp the concept.

"They aren't technically invisible, but they are so small that you can't see them. Bacteria are responsible for food going bad and people getting sick, but some types of them are good. Those ones do things like make the soil able to be farmed or actually protect people from getting sick by the bad kinds." Kagome wished she still had her science book so she could show him the pictures.

"Hn," replied the daiyoukai.

Kagome knew he was processing the information, and wished she had been able to give a better explanation. No one from this era had any idea about microbes and the importance of keeping clean. It would be quite a long time before science would become common knowledge like it was in her time. The miko sighed, thinking of all the things she used to take for granted in her future life.

Sesshoumaru tilted his head to the side and met her eyes before asking, "How do you know about these bacteria if you cannot see them?"

It was then that Kagome realized that Sesshoumaru still did not know that she was from the future. He had known her in the time before her friends had perished, but he really did not know that much about her. She had taken for granted that anyone who knew her from the time before her hardships also knew about where she came from. Kagome sighed; this was going to be a long conversation. She stood and turned the boar again before returning to her spot under the tree, internally debating what to tell him and how.

"You probably already knew that I am not from here, right?" She started by asking.

"Considering the clothing that you used to wear, I had figured that much out," he replied, coming to sit next to her. Sesshoumaru leaned against the tree, sitting with one knee drawn up, as was his custom.

"Well, it's more complicated than where I come from. I am from Edo, technically, but from five hundred years in the future. In my time, it is called Tokyo," the miko knew that she sounded insane and most people would laugh, but she was relieved to see the daiyoukai processing the information without dismissing it. She studied his face as his eyebrows knit together in a soft frown of confusion.

"So, you say you are from the future? How did you end up with the idiot half-breed in this era?"

"That's… a long story, but the short version is that I fell through a well made from the wood of the tree of ages with the Shikon no tama within my body. My guess is that the combination of power between the bone eater's well and the jewel made it possible for me to pass freely between this world and my own."

"The jewel was in your body?" He asked, incredulous.

"You know I am the reincarnation of Kikyou, right?" At his nod, Kagome continued, "When she died, she had the Shikon no tama burned with her body. Her intent was to take the jewel from this world to prevent its misuse. Somehow, when I was born in my time, the jewel had become a part of my body. I discovered this when I was attacked by a demon who cut open my side and released the jewel."

Sesshoumaru had an intense look about him as he contemplated her words. His golden eyes studied her as she talked and the miko could not suppress a feeling of being exposed for lack of a better term. Her friends had lived through these experiences with her, but she had never told anyone else the truth of herself.

"You just came to be here a few years ago. How is it that some demon did not come after you for the jewel when you were young? Was your mother also a priestess?" Sesshoumaru was insanely curious about this new development. He was having a hard time asking just one or two questions even though this much talking was highly out of character for him. His analytical mind could not help but be fascinated by the story the miko was telling him.

"No, my mom is not a priestess. My spiritual powers seem to come from my father's side, but I don't know too much about him. My grandfather runs the shrine that encompasses the Goshinboku. His powers are almost non-existent though. As for why I didn't know I had the jewel, there are no demons in my time, at least that I know of. If there are, then they must be in hiding, maybe because humans have taken over the world. There is great technology in my time that the people in this time could not possibly comprehend," Kagome explained in response to Sesshoumaru's questions.

Sesshoumaru frowned, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her. The daiyoukai responded, "No youkai? That's nonsense. Youkai live for hundreds, sometimes even thousands of years. There is no way that demons have been wiped out in a mere five hundred years."

"I know it seems impossible, but in my time there are millions of people and they live in large villages called cities. There is not nearly as much forest or untamed land in my time and people can travel much faster with the use of machines called cars and airplanes. The whole of the world is connected in the future, and people can travel to the continent and beyond easily. Maybe there are still demons, but they are not commonplace as they are now. I would imagine the lower forms of demons died out as humans gained more destructive capability. Humans have gained great power with use of machine weapons that can kill from a distance. Do you remember Ginkotsu, from the Shichinintai? Those weapons he had are the more primitive forms of many types of weapons that humans have in my time. If there are any youkai who remain, it would be those like you who are nearly human in appearance," She struggled to explain; unsure of how to get across to him the differences between now and the life she lived in the future.

Sesshoumaru seemed lost in thought for a long time, contemplating all that the miko had told him about this future of hers. It seemed impossible to him that humans had overcome demons and forced any like him to remain in hiding. He watched as Kagome got up to tend the boar hanging over the fire, turning it again so that it would cook evenly.

Kagome sighed and walked back over to sit by Sesshoumaru, commenting lightly, "It's a lot to take in, I know. You should have seen Inuyasha when he first crossed over with me…" The miko's voice died off when she realized what she had said, trying to push back her memories of those times.

"Inuyasha was able to cross to your time?" the daiyoukai asked with renewed interest.

Kagome grimaced, but responded to the question, "Yes, he was the only one able to cross over, though we aren't really sure why. Kaede theorized that it was likely due to my… emotional connection with him, that it was my desire for him to be able to cross that the well allowed him through."

"Interesting," Sesshoumaru remarked, looking over at his traveling companion. She was obviously struggling with the memories of Inuyasha. He did not like the way she suffered over these things, but her human emotions were also one of the things he found so fascinating about this woman. Emotion had always been extraneous to him, and for most of his life, he had despised feelings as a weakness. Somewhere along the way, his father's lessons left for him through the Tenseiga had changed his opinion on the matter. He was still much as he always had been, but the daiyoukai had started observing the interactions of his hanyou brother's party and his own ward to study the phenomenon.

Kagome looked up from her hands, meeting the eyes of her inuyoukai companion and feeling bare underneath his gaze. Sometimes she disliked the way he seemed able to see right through her. Those citrine eyes of his analyzing everything they came in contact with.

Needing to change the subject, Kagome spoke about the first thing that came to mind, "So, what was with that kiss this morning?" Her cheeks became warm and pink at her own first thought, despite having been wondering the question all day to herself.

Already knowing the answer, Sesshoumaru inclined his head slightly to the right and asked, "Did my kiss upset you, miko?"

Flustered, Kagome answered, "No, but I thought you were not overly fond of humans."

"It seems there are few worth my interest, but here I have a time-traveling miko. That is interesting indeed." He replied, the ghost of a smile turning up the corner of his lips.

"You didn't even know about that this morning!" came Kagome's automatic response, though she could not seem to help the deepening of the blush on her cheeks. The miko found that ghost of a smile made the handsome daiyoukai even more attractive.

 **Damn him for always being able to make me feel flustered and inept in conversation…**

"True, but you are nonetheless interesting to me."

"Why? Why me?" She challenged.

"Truth be told, I am not entirely sure. Perhaps it is because I find you to be an enigma," Sesshoumaru answered truthfully, though he was not entirely sure why he felt the need to answer the question at all. The answer was also omitting the fact that his beast had taken a liking to the miko, but since he was still struggling a bit with that concept, he kept it to himself.

More than a little upset by his words, the miko countered, "So I am just another puzzle for you to solve?"

Kagome was having a hard time understanding why she felt so upset right now. It was a perfectly logical answer that he had given her, but she found she did not like it. She also discovered that her old self was not as gone as she had thought. Suddenly, she felt the part of an ignorant teenager again with difficulty controlling her own emotions.

 _ **What were you hoping for? Some great declaration of love? Get your head together, baka! This is Sesshoumaru we are talking about here!**_

Her own thought surprised her and she began to wonder exactly what it was she felt for Sesshoumaru. Surely, she was not such a fool as to have feelings for the daiyoukai. That was just wrong on so many levels. First of all, he is a demon for kami's sakes. Not to mention, he is the half-brother of the traitorous half-demon that she was currently in pursuit of and had previously professed to love. As if that was not enough for her, he is the lord of the west and absolutely out of her league, not to mention gorgeous.

 _ **Argh! Even my brain doesn't know when to quit! Gorgeous? Yeah, of course he is, but seriously?**_

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows knit together in confusion. Why on earth was the miko upset with him for confessing an interest? He could feel her emotions coming off her in waves, but found himself unable to discern what exactly was going on with her. By his estimation, a human miko should be thrilled to have caught the attention of one such as he, even if he was unable to fathom his own interest in the matter.

"Have I offended you?" He asked quietly, unsure of what else to say. The daiyoukai combatted his own instinct to either withdraw from the situation or become angry himself. Sesshoumaru found combatting these emotions to be unsettling in the least. Yet, he could not deny that her reaction upset him for reasons unknown. As if in response to his confusion, Sesshoumaru felt his beast pawing at him internally, not liking the fact that Kagome was upset with them.

Sighing heavily and knowing this must be unknown territory for him, Kagome tried to let go of the frustration she was feeling. It was not his fault that she had apparently found herself having feelings of some sort for him. She responded quietly, "No, it's okay. I'm fine."

At her softly spoken answer, Sesshoumaru found himself even more confused than he had been. One moment the human is obviously upset and the next she appears defeated, and all over a kiss. He found himself wanting to apologize even though his rational mind told him there was nothing to apologize for.

"I don't understand," Sesshoumaru said simply, unable to grasp what exactly was happening here. His limited exposure to emotions outside of his own had not prepared him adequately for this conversation. He felt off balance and less than confident, two things he had never felt in his life before meeting the lovely little miko.

Kagome stared into his guarded and confused golden eyes, contemplating how to proceed. This was new territory for both of them. On her side, she knew that this pairing was utter madness and probably a passing fancy of his at best. There was just no way that the handsome and powerful Sesshoumaru was really interested in her. Yet, here he was traveling with her though he has no real stake in the matter. He had kissed her, which was all his idea, and now they were having long conversations about her life and where she came from. Even so, Kagome could not wrap her mind around the fact that he was concerned with one human miko.

The priestess shook her head, dispelling her thoughts and attempting to gain control over them. She closed her eyes for several moments, meditating to achieve some control back from her erratic emotions. Feeling in control of herself had become an important part of her life since her companions had left this world. She needed that feeling to keep from going insane at the pain and grief she had experienced at the hands of Inuyasha's greedy betrayal.

Sesshoumaru watched as Kagome closed her eyes, his own mapping her features as her mind seemed to grow distant. He felt her aura close over her and slowly become serene again. The amount of control she had gained in just a few years was truly impressive and he felt a swell of pride at her abilities once more. The miko was part of his pack now and her successes reflected back on himself.

Finally opening her eyes to find that she was still the object of Sesshoumaru's attention, Kagome met his eyes squarely and focused on retaining her composure. Ready now to answer his statement, the miko replied, "Don't worry so much. I just have a lot on my mind and my life has changed drastically once again. I had thought to be alone for the rest of my existence once I had rid myself of your brother. There has been no thought of a future in my mind since I began my journey."

"You are part of my pack now, miko. Do you understand what that means?" Sesshoumaru asked, trying to gauge how well she understood what he had offered her.

Kagome weighed her words for a second, trying to arrange them in a semblance of order before she responded, lest she sound ignorant. She had studied the inuyoukai as best as a human could since there was little written on the matter. The miko responded quietly, "To be part of a pack means to work together, to protect and provide for one another. It means loyalty to the alpha in all things."

"You are partially correct. Pack does mean all of those things, but it is more than that as well. Protection is not just physical; it includes looking out for the mental health of the members as well, to protect them from both physical and emotional damage. Providing for one another is not just in regards to food, shelter or clothing, but also providing attention and a listening ear when needed. Loyalty to the alpha is important, but just as important is the alpha's loyalty to his pack. Pack encompasses each member's total well-being and complete loyalty and compassion for one another. I can empathize with the thought of being alone. Until the day I found Rin and saved her life, I had never really thought to have a pack of my own, being a loner from a young age. Now the great and terrible Sesshoumaru's pack contains two mortal females. It seems fate has a sense of humor." Sesshoumaru's lips turned up at the corners in amusement, causing the miko to once again note how much more stunning he was when he smiled.

Kagome sat quietly for a moment, absorbing all that he had said. She had known pack was important to the inu, but what Sesshoumaru described was akin to the perfect family and part of her ached thinking of her mother, brother, and grandfather. They had been the perfect small, yet close-knit family. A part of her longed for that feeling of closeness again, the kind that she had just started to develop with little Rin. Kagome decided in this moment to stop letting her fears get the better of her and to live her life wholly and not just in search of revenge. Perhaps the small pack they had formed could be what she had been searching for so long.

Meeting his eyes with her own sapphire ones, Kagome smiled and spoke softly, "Thank you."

"There is no need for thanks, Kagome. I chose you to be part of my pack. You are strong, intelligent and loyal, everything an inuyoukai looks for and respects. I am honored to have you as pack," Sesshoumaru replied, finally feeling more at ease with the conversation now that he felt they understood each other better.

He stared down at the shining azure eyes of his miko companion, mildly worried to find them swimming with unshed tears. As her lips tilted in a grateful smile, the daiyoukai relaxed knowing that they were not tears of sadness. His beast rose up within him swiftly at the sight of the tears, even knowing they were tears of joy. Sesshoumaru's eyes became red and his pupils morphed into a smaller, slitted version as his irises changed from gold to blue.

Kagome swallowed her gasp, knowing that she had nothing at all to fear from this side of the daiyoukai, even if those eyes were still somewhat scary to her. She stayed perfectly still, both pairs of blue irises locked on each other. Her gasp did escape her however, when Sesshoumaru leaned into her and nuzzled her cheek with his own, marking her with his scent before he leaned back again. His eyes slowly turned back to their original molten gold and the miko was amused to note that he seemed a little embarrassed by his beast's actions.

Smiling, Kagome ever so slowly reached out a hand to rest it against Sesshoumaru's cheek. She was a little surprised he allowed the familiarity between them, and it must have shown in her eyes because he spoke softly to her, "Inuyoukai are affectionate with their pack. They enjoy the touch of one another as it reaffirms their commitment."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to look so shocked. I am just not used to seeing you in this new light. You have always been the cold and regal Lord Sesshoumaru. This might take a little adjustment, probably on both of our parts," Kagome said with a laugh, seeing the truth of her words in his eyes. It once again surprised her that she was actually able to read anything in his usually impassive eyes and the knowledge filled her with a strange warmth.

Realizing that she was still caressing the daiyoukai's cheek, Kagome flushed bright pink and let her hand drop from his face. Her eyes dropped to the hand that now lay in her lap, her palm suddenly bereft of the warmth of his skin. Trying to settle the unexpected sensation of butterflies in her stomach, the miko abruptly stood and moved to the fire to tend the boar.

The miko noted that while there was plenty of cooked meat on the outside for her to eat, the inner portions were still mostly raw. Recalling their dinners at the palace, Kagome knew that he preferred to eat his meat this way. Taking her dagger to the boar once again, the priestess began carving away hunks of the delicious smelling meat for herself and placing them on one of the rough metal dishes she carried in her pack. Grabbing another plate, Kagome carved into the deeper meat, trying not to wrinkle her nose as it came away still bloody. Placing this onto the second dish she kept, the miko carried both plates over to the tree where the daiyoukai still sat watching her.

Kagome offered him the mostly raw meat, pleased when he took it with the now familiar slight smile. He was most pleased that she had taken the time to note how he preferred to eat his meat during their short time together.

The miko settled down next to him and carefully balanced her plate on her knees as she reached into the pack lying next to her. Kagome carefully unwrapped the small loaf of bread that had been packed among the foodstuffs from the palace. Breaking it in half, she offered him one of the pieces. Sesshoumaru took the offered piece with a soft, "Thank you."

The two ate in companionable silence, each contemplating the new developments that had occurred over the last several days. The duo each had a sense of belonging that was new and unfamiliar. Even though Kagome had previously had her companions that were united in common cause, each had their own agenda, There had been an understanding that once their goal was accomplished that they would have their own lives to worry about. This felt different, like the unlikely pair's lives had become intimately connected.

After they had finished eating, Kagome and Sesshoumaru talked quietly for a while. She told him more of her life on the other side of the well, as well as her lonely journey the last three years, and he explained some of the intricacies of youkai court and his responsibilities as lord of the west.

As the moon rose high overhead, Sesshoumaru stood and took care of disposing the rest of the uneaten meat. He took it far enough from camp that if someone came across it, they likely would not bother with the camp that contained the miko and daiyoukai.

When he returned to the small clearing in the woods, he noted that Kagome had fallen asleep leaning against the tree. The daiyoukai retrieved one of the miko's blankets from her pack and placed it over her sleeping form. Settling down next to her, Sesshoumaru wrapped the end of his mokomoko around her shoulders and continued contemplating the tiny female who had become part of his small pack.

 **AN: All right, folks! That is all for this chapter, but big things are coming in the next installment of my story. I hope you all enjoyed the fluffiness of the chapter, as the next one will be full of action and revelations! I am hoping to get the next update out tomorrow as I have a fairly busy rest of the month planned. I will continue to try and update as often as possible. Thanks again for reading and supporting the story with your reviews.**


	11. Another Version of the Story

**AN: Settle in for a chapter full of action, guys and gals! I hope to answer some questions with this chapter! Fair warning that this chapter is going to be fairly lengthy in comparison to some of the previous ones and the flashback at the end contains character death. Please enjoy the read and take the time to comment in the reviews! Many thanks to the followers of this story!**

Kagome woke slowly, her eyelids fluttering as she fought her way back to the world of the living. Her sleep had been the blissful darkness of dreamless slumber, and her mind instinctively fought against her awakening. She realized eventually that she was leaning against the tree where she had spoken with Sesshoumaru the night before. The fluffiness of his mokomoko wrapped around her shoulders warmly, causing the miko to blush softly at her remembrance of all they had shared the night before. Sitting up, the priestess noted the daiyoukai watching her with his impassable golden eyes.

Smiling softly, Kagome yawned and stretched her arms above her head. Speaking in a soft, still sleepy voice, "Good morning, Sesshoumaru," she said, pulling the sleep warmed blanket from herself.

"Good morning, miko," he responded, watching as she began her morning routine of packing away her belongings.

Kagome absorbed herself in her work, rolling the blanket tightly so that it would take a minimum of space within her pack. Sighting the dirty plates and her salting dish, the miko stood and walked over to the flat rock. She took her time in fishing the salted meat from the water, laying it on the rock so that some of the moisture would drain before she returned to pack it. Grabbing up the dishes, she walked back towards the small stream to clean the dishes.

Sesshoumaru watched with avid fascination as she began her morning chores. He did not even wonder anymore at her willingness to do the needed tasks. She was someone who did what needed doing, regardless of if it was something she actually wanted to do. He watched the miko leave the camp and reflected on the developments of the previous evening. The daiyoukai was more than happy to have chosen the tiny miko as part of his pack.

Kagome washed the dishes thoroughly at the spring before heading back; it would not do to have dirty dishes among her clothes and other belongings. She thought quietly of how gentle and understanding the daiyoukai had been of her the previous evening. The miko knew she was blessed to be among his pack and have him looking out for her well-being. Returning to camp, Kagome gently wrapped the salted meat inside of the cloths she carried for just such a purpose.

The miko returned all of her belongings to her pack and set it aside. Turning to the mostly dead fire, she kicked dirt over the remaining embers before turning to ready herself. As was her usual custom, she slung the pack over her shoulder before reaching for her weapons. With her customary precision, she also shouldered her bow and quiver before sheathing her blade at her hip. Turning to the daiyoukai, she nodded to indicate that she was ready to break camp.

Sesshoumaru stood effortlessly and took his place at her side before continuing down the nearby path that led eastward. The unlikely duo continued down the rough trodden footpath in their usual companionable silence. Each enjoyed the others company, even if no words were spoken at all.

After all the long months and years of never having caught even the faintest whiff, Inuyasha caught the scent of his long lost miko. He had longed for this day for as long as he could remember now. The whole of his world had been caught up seeking revenge and he honestly did not know what to say once they came face to face. His heart beat a hard staccato in his chest, knowing she would soon sense him drawing nearer.

The inuyoukai came upon a clearing and decided to wait for her there. He sat with his legs crossed through one another with his sword tucked under his right arm. The anticipation built within him as he felt her draw closer. Letting go of his youki, he announced his presence.

Sesshoumaru sensed his half-brother just a moment before the miko's head swiveled in his direction, as if to confirm her suspicions. He watched as she drew her sword and walked calmly towards the aura they both felt. He had thought he would feel more from her than the calm anticipation that greeted him upon reading her features. The miko had always traveled with her reiryoku tightly contained, but she had left her scent open to detection. Whether she did so knowing that it might draw his half-brother out or not, he found the fact interesting.

Kagome steeled her mind against what was to come. She was ready for this, had trained for countless hours for this moment. For the first time in over three years, the miko finally had the opportunity to lay her friends' memories to rest. She allowed nothing but determination inside of her mind, there was no room for hesitation. The resolute priestess felt her companion fall back as she advanced towards the clearing, no doubt allowing her the moment she had been waiting for while still keeping an eye on her.

As Kagome broke through the last of the trees, she spotted him sitting calmly against a rock in the clearing. Looking him over, she noted the deep magenta markings he carried across both cheeks. Seeing the now powerless Shikon jewel around his neck along with the beads of subjugation only fueled the flames of righteousness burning the miko higher. These were the only visible signs of his betrayal, but it was enough for her. The miko started towards him, her eyes unyielding in the obvious sign of his treachery.

"Kagome…" Inuyasha called softly, not liking the way she was moving towards him. He had prepared himself for this outcome, but he had not been prepared for the strength of her reiryoku as she allowed it to flood the clearing. She looked fiercely beautiful in her deep blue miko's garb, even from this distance he could see her eyes flashing with determined light.

Continuing to advance upon his location, her voiced reached him full of anger, "Do not speak my name, traitor."

"Kagome, it's not what you think," Inuyasha tried to explain, already feeling that his words were futile. He stood, watching her descend on him with her fury as a crimson coat that spread out behind her, blending with the aura she no longer attempted to conceal.

"You are responsible for the death of our dearest friends! You gained from my loss, my sorrow, to attain your heart's desire with no care for the outcome. You are nothing to me, and soon you shall be dead as well," The miko stated heatedly, stalking ever closer to his location.

Inuyasha fought the urge to retreat from her obvious rage. He wanted to tell her what had happened that day, three long years ago, but he knew in her fury that she would not hear him out. The inuyoukai could only hope that she wanted him to suffer and would not instantly purify him, maybe then he would be able to tell her of his version of things. Even if he were to perish at her hands, it would not be wholly undeserved. He knew he had treated her poorly during their time together, that he had obsessed over the dead priestess to the exclusion of her feelings on the matter. He had wronged her with his ill temper and lack of patience during their time together. Most of all, he had aggrieved her with his inability to express his own feelings towards her, forever making her wonder and guess at his intentions.

The inuyoukai hung his head sadly, wondering if he truly deserved to die at her hand as he had been sealed by his former love so many years ago. Perhaps his fate was so dire after all, though he wondered at the fates for their cruelty. Standing, he readied himself for the inevitable, knowing that he would not strike her. Inuyasha had decided that he would defend himself and no more, even as his youkai blood seethed at the feel of her reiryoku pressing against him.

Kagome continued to stalk forward, stopping only a few paces from the traitorous once-hanyou that had destroyed the life she had once thought to lead. Her fury knew no bounds, incensed further by his denial of the event while he still had the now dead Shikon no tama hanging from his neck. Were she also inuyoukai, she had no doubt that her eyes would be red with her wrath. She stared uncompromisingly at the inuyoukai, noting that he had yet to draw his sword.

The miko rushed headlong into her first attack, aiming her sword to his chest as she swung. Inuyasha barely missed being sliced open by dodging backwards from her. Knowing he could not go down without a fight lest he never be able to tell his tale, he drew his Tessaiga before turning once again to face her. The sword transformed as he drew it from his sheath; the blade of his father's fang reacted to his youki, even as a full-blooded demon.

Running at Inuyasha at an angle, Kagome once again tried out the inuyoukai's defenses. She came at him from beside him as she ran, seeking to dodge his left arm and slide her blade along and into his ribs. Inuyasha was too quick, but the miko used her secret weapon along her left forearm to catch him across the face, drawing first blood. To say the least, Inuyasha was shocked at how adept she had become at battle.

"Kagome listen to me, please!" He shouted as he again withdrew from yet another press of attack from the incensed priestess. Inuyasha had to get through to her, even if she was still angry enough to kill him once his story was told.

"Do not speak my name," Kagome hissed between gritted teeth, her anger overriding her sensibilities as she began to see a red haze over her vision. She growled deeply as he dodged her again, the rumbling sound that vibrated from within her enough to make any inuyoukai proud. Coming headlong at him yet again, having no care for anything but her moment of revenge, she screamed out, "Stop dodging and face me, coward!"

"I don't want to fight you, Kagome. I know you can't understand yet, but what happened three years ago…" Inuyasha's words fell on deaf ears and he was cut off as her next vicious attack found a hole in his defenses. While not a mortal wound, that blue blade of hers cut deeply into his right side, nearly piercing him through.

The battle seemed to go on forever to Inuyasha, unable to get a single word into her mind to give her pause. He parried and avoided as many of her attacks as he could, never once raising his sword to her in anything other than defense. Being unable to go on the offensive, his combat skills were suffering and the miko continued to find holes in his defense, bleeding him slowly. Inuyasha knew full well that she could end this battle much more quickly with her miko powers, perhaps even purify him completely even with the blood of his great and terrible father flowing undiluted in his veins. However, it was obvious in her raging need for revenge, the way she relentlessly pressed the attack, that she wanted him to suffer.

Kagome could feel the drops of sweat dripping down her face, her lungs heaving to continue exchanging enough oxygen to allow her to keep fighting. Her muscles continued to react to her every command, but she could already feel the pain blossoming within them as they began to tire. As the battle dragged on, the crimson filter that had covered her vision began to slowly recede, though her need for revenge was far from sated. A disturbing smile crossed her lips as she faced off with Inuyasha again; the miko was actually pleased that he had learned some self-control. The conflict would have ended much too quickly if he still practiced the same undisciplined moves that he had in the past.

Sesshoumaru watched from the trees, both combatants oblivious to his presence as the duel raged on. He could tell that Kagome had let her fury get the better of her, her attacks having ferocity but lacking the finer grace that he had seen her perform with before. The battle lust was evident in her aura and she made no attempt to conceal the wrath and betrayal she felt for herself and her lost friends.

The daiyoukai found it interesting that his brother continued to try to talk to the miko, at times leaving holes in his defense as he tried to reason with her. While it was true that Inuyasha's blood was that of a full youkai, Sesshoumaru thought it was intriguing that he was not feral in the least. In fact, the once-hanyou appeared to have gained more than a sliver of intelligence in the time since they had last met. Inuyasha appeared to be the same as himself, as if he had been born with only youkai blood in his veins.

Watching as Kagome slowly bled the demon, Sesshoumaru began to wonder if not all was as it seemed. Inuyasha made no attempt whatsoever to attack the miko that continued to press her attack, even when doing so cost him her blade finding purchase in his body. The daiyoukai had been carefully listening to each of the words spoken between the opponents. Kagome's dialogue was pure fury and denial of anything her adversary had tried to say to her, his words unable to penetrate the intense need for revenge. Inuyasha, however, continued to try to speak, indicating that something other than what they had assumed had taken place in Edo.

Ever curious, though he knew it would greatly upset Kagome, Sesshoumaru decided they needed to at least hear what Inuyasha had to say. The miko might be angry with him in the moment, but she might just be thankful afterwards, depending on what the inuyoukai had to say on the matter.

Inuyasha felt a familiar youki wash over the battlefield, and his attention turned to the edge of the forest where he could see his brother emerging. That moment of inattention cost him, as Kagome came at him once more, seizing the opportunity she had been given to lodge her sword in his shoulder. The blue blade wedged between bone and the miko could not easily pull the blade back. She back flipped off of her hands and stood before Inuyasha panting, but lacking her sword with which to punish him further.

Summoning her reiryoku, the priestess formed her sparkling blue light whip, spinning around quickly to gain momentum before loosening it on her confused adversary. Her eyes narrowed in anger when Sesshoumaru's pale green poison whip clashed with her own, blocking her attack on her betrayer.

Kagome spun around hastily to face the interloper with eyes seething with her ire. She watched as he walked closer to the pair, ever calm and controlled. Speaking angrily, the miko lashed out at the daiyoukai with her words, "What are you doing, Sesshoumaru! I have waited years for this moment and I'll not have you interfere!"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her anger and defiance, but allowed her the small piece of relief that the outburst brought her. The daiyoukai spoke in his quiet yet commanding voice, "I wish to hear what my half-brother has to say."

Nearly screaming in return to his words, the scathing miko retorted, "I don't care what lies he might try to spit at us! It is HIS fault!"

"You're right…" Inuyasha's soft, almost hesitant voice added itself to the conversation. The youkai had sheathed his Tessaiga when Sesshoumaru had stepped into the fray, knowing if his brother wanted to kill him then he might as well have a clean death. Now that he realized that the daiyoukai intended to intervene, Inuyasha reached for the blade lodged in his body, removing it with a grimace as his blood started to flow from the wound.

"Shut up," Kagome roared at him, turning back around to face Inuyasha. Her light whip leaving her fingers without thought and throwing the inuyoukai to the ground. Stepping towards him, her words practically seethed with her fury, "I never wish to hear your voice again, Inuyasha!"

Sesshoumaru moved with blinding speed to place himself between the enraged priestess and his idiot brother. The look of betrayal that Kagome gave him in that moment caused a pang to make itself known in his chest and the daiyoukai could feel his beast stirring within him.

Kagome's voice was barely controlled as she spoke to Sesshoumaru, "Remove yourself, I wish to finish this once and for all." The miko took a step forward.

Sesshoumaru had had enough of her insubordination. Determined to remind her who was the alpha here, he met her advance step for step until the two were face to face in the clearing. The daiyoukai looked down on the rage-filled human, his superior height forcing her to tip her head back in order to meet his eyes. A low growl of warning issued from his throat as his eyes began to change to those of his beast. His voice came out thick and gravelly as he spoke to the miko in a tone that brooked no arguments, using her name to gain her full attention, "Cease your defiance, Kagome."

Inuyasha watched the pair with more than a little confusion. It was obvious even to him that the two had some sort of relationship that had developed during his absence. The inuyoukai found it hard to fathom that his brother had anything to do with Kagome and vice versa. He watched as the dynamic between the two played out. At his brother's command, much of the rage seemed to leave Kagome in that moment. The distress evident in her features was heart rending for both brothers, not that either would admit it in that moment. Sesshoumaru needed to assert his dominance to force the miko to back down and Inuyasha still struggled with trying to understand exactly what was happening here.

Kagome's eyes began to fill with tears, but not the type that one cries in sadness. These tears were the kind that a female cries when her rage must be swallowed back and she is left with no other outlet for her emotions. Unwilling to let either of the youkai see her cry, Kagome pulled her aura tightly to herself and walked off. She held her head high, but both brothers could feel the weight of the defeat she felt on her shoulders in that moment.

Sesshoumaru turned to his half-brother with a cold stare and equally frigid voice, "You had better have something worthwhile to say in exchange for the pain I just caused my pack member."

Inuyasha stared blankly at Sesshoumaru, the pieces slowly coming together in his mind as he got up from the ground where Kagome had left him. Meeting those amber eyes so similar to his own, Inuyasha replied quietly, "I do."

Kagome moved far from the site of her battle with Inuyasha, the adrenaline pent up within her leaving in a rush as the tears started to fall from her tortured sapphire eyes. She dashed them away immediately, angry that she could even dare cry in this moment. Her anger beat at her in waves, forcing her weary legs to keep walking though she knew not where she was going.

The miko was furious with Sesshoumaru for his interference in her long-sought revenge. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that he would not have stepped in without good reason. He had been on the outside, perhaps able to see or understand something that she had not in her haze of blood lust. Nevertheless, even that logic did not dissuade her from her anger at the daiyoukai.

Her internal fury was even more strongly directed at Inuyasha for having even dared to speak to her. The traitorous youkai should have accepted his rightful death at her hands and kept his mouth shut. She had no desire to hear whatever story he had concocted in the last three years to make her believe that he had not betrayed them all and caused the death of her beloved friends. Remembering the look on Inuyasha's face as she heard him speak her name for the first time in three years, Kagome was unable to control herself. The miko released a massive shockwave of her reiryoku in all directions, sure to be felt by every youkai for miles.

The brothers looked in the direction Kagome had left in as her aura washed over both of them violently. Both the inuyoukai felt the hairs on the back of their necks stand at attention from the influence of the miko's rage-filled manifestation of power.

Looking at Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha spoke with near reverence in his voice, "She has gotten much stronger…"

"Indeed she has. Kagome has dedicated her life to your death at her hands. She has traveled alone for the last three years, forced to look out for herself and grow stronger or die. This, I believe, is your fault, little brother." Sesshoumaru's voice was matter of fact with its typical frost laden tone. Turning his eyes back to the once-hanyou, the daiyoukai commanded, "Tell me your story before I decide to let her kill you after all."

Eyebrows drawing together in annoyance at the demanding tone his brother had used, Inuyasha swallowed down his anger as his mind wandered back to that stormy day in Edo. At times his voice shook as he told his story, hating being unable to help his own weakness in front of his regal half-brother. Inuyasha told Sesshoumaru everything, not daring to leave out a single detail of the tale he had shared with no one.

Kagome sat with her knees curled to her chest next to a hot spring she had come across. It was as good a place as any for her to stop. She could now feel the ache in her weary muscles from the fight with Inuyasha and the miko contemplated soaking in the spring. Though she knew it would do nothing for her aching soul, she found the idea of a hot bath more than tempting. Just as she had about convinced herself to slip into the soothing waters of the spring, she felt Sesshoumaru's youki approaching.

The priestess sat quietly but allowed her reiryoku to flare in response. He already knew where she was by following the scent she had not thought to cover in her anger, but she acknowledged the presence of her alpha nonetheless.

Sesshoumaru took stock of the beautiful yet tortured miko as he stepped between the trees standing sentinel on her resting place. Her tears had long dried though he could scent the lingering aroma of salt on her. He met her clouded blue eyes and once again felt a deep pang in his chest at her pain. Pushing aside his own emotions, he spoke in a low, soothing tone, "Kagome, you have been gone a long time."

"I needed to get away from him," she retorted impatiently.

Feeling her anger still tightly clutched to her, Sesshoumaru knew it was going to be no easy task to get her to hear out his half-brother's story. However, he knew now from having listened to it himself, that it was something she needed to hear.

"Why don't you soothe your aches in the spring and then join me to hear out Inuyasha," the daiyoukai replied quietly.

Somewhere deep inside of Kagome, the dam of her rage broke and flowed forth raw emotion. Her body began to shake as hot tears sprang to her eyes. Her voice broke as she responded, "I don't want to hear his story… Sango… Miroku… Shippou…" A sob rent itself from her throat as she spoke her kits name.

Sesshoumaru kneeled in front of her, her undisguised pain pounding against him as he sought to comfort her. He wrapped his arms around her gently and leaned back to sit on the ground, drawing the grief stricken miko into his lap. He said nothing as he softly ran his claws through her silken raven tresses. The daiyoukai waited patiently as she expelled her sorrow in heavy teardrops against his chest. His beast began a low, soothing rumble in his chest. The pair sat like this for a long time until the last of Kagome's tears began to dry on her face.

Sesshoumaru stood gracefully from the ground with the tiny miko in his arms. He marveled once more at how much power and ferocity was packed into such a small package. She stood nearly a foot shorter than himself with petite curves that he could feel clearly pressed against his chest. With her cradled in his arms, he knew she could not possibly weigh more than 110 lbs. The daiyoukai took the few steps to the hot spring and set her down on a rock bordering the steamy water.

Kagome slowly met his molten gold eyes with her own, embarrassed at her break down in front of the daiyoukai. She did not know what to say in this moment as he stood before her. The miko began to feel shy even after clinging to him in her fit of sorrow. Her cheeks flushed warmly as she thought about sitting in his lap. Shaking her head, she tried to find words to speak, but ended up closing her mouth again without a word.

"Your sorrow is nothing to be ashamed of, Kagome. Relax in the hot spring awhile and we will go together to face Inuyasha's story. You will not be alone," Sesshoumaru spoke simply, understanding exactly how she was feeling in that moment, even if he questioned how he knew. Sesshoumaru stepped away from the speechless miko and stood sentinel with the trees, allowing her a modicum of privacy in which to bathe.

Kagome was astonished at his considerate behavior and began to feel ashamed about how she had yelled at him in the clearing. Sighing softly, the miko stripped off her priestess garb and sank into the blissfully hot water. She dipped her head back into the water before running her hands along her body to wash away the sweat and grime of both travel and battle. She regretted not bringing her bag with her, as she did not have her soap or a change of clothes.

Calling softly into the dark that was settling as the sun set, "Sesshoumaru, could you please retrieve my bag? I dropped it at the edge of the clearing." She hated to even ask after her heated exchange with him after her battle.

Sesshoumaru did not answer her, but she saw him form into a ball of light and streak off into the closing darkness. He was back in only a few moments, walking to the edge of the spring and setting her bag on the rock where he had deposited her earlier. Kagome leaned against the edge of the pool modestly, covering the majority of her nakedness as he reappeared. The daiyoukai found it difficult to tear his eyes away from the wet miko with droplets of water slowly making their way back down into the pool. Nodding, he turned back away and walked to the edge of the trees.

Kagome called a gently spoken, "Thank you," at his back that made the edges of his lips curl up in a soft smile.

The miko wasted no time in cleaning herself with the bar of homemade lavender soap in her pack, reveling in the scent of the herb on her skin. Peeking over to make sure his back was still turned; Kagome pulled herself from the pool and wrapped a towel around herself, drying the water from her skin quickly. She pulled a fresh set of clothing from her pack and proceeded to change into them. Drying her hair with the towel, she stepped forward until she was just behind the daiyoukai.

"Thank you again and I am sorry for my outburst back in the clearing…" She said hesitantly, her eyes on his back as she continued to dry the silken mass of her hair.

"All is forgiven. We will leave when you are ready," Sesshoumaru said quietly, turning to face the lovely miko. Her still-damp tresses hung over her shoulder in wavy tendrils that reached past her waist, leaving patches of wetness against her white haori. His eyes followed her as she moved back towards the rock, removing a brush from her bag. Setting it aside, she leisurely packed the rest of her belongings in the pack and slung it over her shoulder before turning to face him once more.

Without a word, the pair started back in the direction of the clearing. Kagome brushed her hair as she walked, wondering when it had gotten so very long. It was difficult to keep up with, to say the least, but comparing her raven tresses to the even longer silken strands of Sesshoumaru's hair made her smile. Maybe someday she would ask to brush out those thick silver locks, and she could feel her fingers itching to do so even as she worked the brush through her own hair.

Kagome had succeeded in distracting herself with thoughts of the silver haired Inuyoukai in front of her for most of the walk back. As they approached the clearing, the miko could feel her trepidation growing. The last thing she wanted was to be face to face with the murderer of her comrades without trying to kill him. Sucking in a deep breath, Kagome concentrated on her anger and allowed it to fuse with her aura. No one said she had to be happy about listening to his version of things.

Sesshoumaru suppressed a smirk as he felt the swirl of her reiryoku. He knew that she would do as he asked and hear his half-brother out, but she refused to make it easy on Inuyasha to talk to her. The daiyoukai found the spitfire attitude of his newest pack member amusing when it was not being turned on him.

When they broke through the trees, Kagome moved to retrieve her sword from the ground and laid it across her lap as she sat with her back to a large stone in the clearing. She refused to even look at her once-companion and instead chose to stare into the flames of the fire that blazed not far from her. Upon seeing the skewered fish cooking over the fire, a pang of sorrow hit her at the memories of old times. She kept her face carefully blank and concentrated on exactly what the traitor could feel in her aura. The miko would allow none of her grief to be sensed by this one.

Sesshoumaru watched with carefully hidden amusement as Kagome endeavored to ignore Inuyasha's very presence. He thought it was a nice touch that she laid her sword, stained with the offending youkai's blood, across her lap with a nonchalance that even he would be proud of. While he had new insight into what his brother had been doing the last three years, that did not mean he would not allow the miko her prideful disdain. Why should he make it easy on Inuyasha?

Hearing her stomach rumble softly in response to the scent of the cooked fish, Sesshoumaru stepped forward and sat next to the miko while maintaining a proper distance. Looking across the fire, the daiyoukai easily read Inuyasha's desire to offer some of the fish that he had caught to Kagome. With a slight shake of his head, Sesshoumaru communicated to his half-brother to keep to himself for the moment. Reaching out to grab one of the sticks, the daiyoukai offered the food to his pack mate.

Kagome gave him a small, grateful smile as she took the fish from him. Instinctively, she knew that Inuyasha most likely had caught the fish while she had bathed. While a part of her wanted to refuse the fish in spite of him, Kagome took it gratefully from her alpha and began to eat.

Inuyasha grabbed a fish for himself, contemplating the woman across the fire from him. Though she looked much the same as she always had except for the dark blue miko garb and longer hair, he found that she was nearly unrecognizable as the girl he had traveled with all those years ago. Waiting for Sesshoumaru to indicate that it was time to speak, Inuyasha occupied himself with studying the lovely miko who daintily ate her fish without so much as a look in his direction. It rankled him that Sesshoumaru seemed so much closer to the woman he had intended to make his own than he was, due to his absence. He also found it irritating that he was deferring to Sesshoumaru in this matter, but he was seeing with his own eyes that perhaps the arrogant daiyoukai knew what he was doing after all.

The past three years had taught him more patience and control than the previous hundred and fifty before. He had been forced to learn how to control his youki once his full demon powers had been unleashed. It had not been easy without anyone to teach him, but he refused to rely on others to build his strength. Inuyasha had had no contact with anyone other than the youkai he killed over these last few years. Hunting down the three cats had forced him to learn patience in a way that nothing else in his life had previously. While he was still more than a little rough around the edges and his social skills were lacking, Inuyasha was proud of the youkai he was becoming. While true that he had been granted his once dream, the cost had been staggering to both himself and the little miko who sat ignoring his stare.

As Kagome delicately picked the last of the meat from the fish's bones, Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and drew the attention of the miko and his half-brother. He turned his eyes to Kagome, meeting her sapphire orbs with his own amber ones, the daiyoukai spoke softly, "I wish for you to hear what Inuyasha has to say."

Kagome grimaced, leaning back against the rock and crossing her arms across her chest. She was the picture of petulance in that moment and once again, Sesshoumaru had to fight to keep a smirk off his face. Turning his eyes on his brother, he gestured for Inuyasha to begin telling his story.

"Kagome, I never meant for any of this to happen-" Inuyasha was cut off by the sudden, almost palpable coldness coming from the miko. Her aura swirled dangerously with her anger and mistrust.

"Just the facts, please," Sesshoumaru bid his brother, knowing that until she heard the full story, she would bristle at any such familiarity with her. The daiyoukai used his youki to gently brush along the edge of the miko's aura in a way that he hoped was soothing.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at how familiar the two of them were and for the first time wondered if there was a romance between the two. While he could tell by scent that they had not slept together, he recalled when he first saw her entering the clearing. He had been so stunned to actually see her in that moment that he had not bothered to notice his brother's scent on her. Knowing his jealousy would earn him no points here; Inuyasha mentally shook himself and focused at the task at hand.

He took a deep breath that he let out on a sigh and began to tell his story.

Inuyasha dashed through the woods towards the smell of human blood coming from his home village of Edo. He had gone out that morning out of restlessness, not content with peaceful village life as his human companions and even the kitsune seemed to be. The hanyou had been on his own, never staying in one place very long, ever since his mother died. After his deception by Naraku and his fifty-year slumber against the Goshinboku, he had finally come to learn to trust and rely on others. The journey that he, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kirara had gone on to find Naraku had lasted nearly two years and now finally it was time to be rid of the jewel once and for all.

Inuyasha had been more than a little antsy that Kagome had put off dealing with the Shikon no tama for her own personal reasons, but he thought he understood. No one knew if she would be able to stay here or if she would be forced back to her own time. The group had all had their guesses in regards to what might happen and whether the jewel was responsible for allowing Kagome passage through the well or if it was the wood of the tree of ages. Most of them believed that it was a combination of the two magics that connected her world with theirs.

Kagome had been gone for three days looking for herbs and leaving her friends to guard the jewel. Inuyasha had thought about joining her on the journey, and had even offered, but she had declined stating that she needed some time alone. At the time, her rejection of his company had angered him. Little did he know it would be their last interaction for over three years as she yelled yet another sit before disappearing down the path out of the village.

Inuyasha raced even faster through the trees, scenting the stench of cat youkai coming from his home. He prayed that he would not be too late and that Kagome had not arrived back to the village in his absence. The scent of blood was overwhelming to his senses and he knew that most of the village likely lay slain.

As he broke through the woods, the first sight that greeted him as he rounded the corner of the furthest hut was the mangled bodies of the villagers. Each body his eyes came across had the same claw marks dug deep into their flesh.

Suddenly remembering the jewel, he raced to Kaede's hut, his heart burning unbearably at the sight of the kitsune laying in a pool of his own blood just outside. The hanyou had burst through the door just in time to see the feline youkai deliver the deathblow to the miko as she reached out for the jewel. Inuyasha knocked the cat over the table a made a grab for the jewel.

Inuyasha did not remember wishing on the jewel; in fact, the only word he had spoken as he saw the elderly priestess draw her last breath was, "Please."

The jewel in hand, Inuyasha had run to find Miroku and Sango, only to find a cat standing over their bodies. The burning pain in the hanyou's chest intensified into a roaring fire as he looked upon the forms of his friends. Sango cradled Kohaku to her, her last gurgled breaths coming to a halt as he approached. The lifeless body of the monk sprawled next to them and Kirara lying nearby in her untransformed state. He could not believe that everyone, every single person was gone.

The cat hisses upon seeing Inuyasha and the three feline youkai regrouped and took off into the forest. In that moment, Inuyasha felt a burst of power like he had never known flow through his veins and for a brief moment he thought he might lose control of himself. Desperate not to have let his friends die in vain, the now full-blooded inuyoukai tamped down whatever was happening in his body and took off after them with the jewel still clutched in his fist.

Inuyasha paused, his voice thick with emotion as he finished his accounting of what had happened that fateful day. He knew he should have been there to protect his companions, especially since Kagome had been away. He had been selfish and overconfident that the jewel was indeed safe. He had been torturing himself for years with the visions of his friends' deaths and ultimately felt responsible for what had happened.

Kagome brought her eyes up from the fire and dared to look at Inuyasha for the first time since he began to speak. She dared not identify anything she was feeling in that moment when the citrine eyes she knew so well met hers over the fire. She was shell shocked at his version of the events in Edo and part of her was ashamed that she had jumped to the worst possible conclusion.

Inuyasha could barely breathe as those dancing sapphire eyes met his. The flames reflected in her wide, beautiful eyes in a way that seemed magic to him. The inuyoukai dared not guess at what she might be feeling or even thinking but he basked in the attention of her long sought gaze.

Steeling himself, Inuyasha continued with what was left of his tale, "So then the hunt began. The three feline youkai from the continent split up, each going different ways. I was still struggling with my newfound power and enhanced senses. I knew I could never face you again if I did not avenge our friends. I finally found the last cat about a month ago, slinking around in the southern lands. It was only then that I allowed myself to go back to Edo."

A pregnant pause followed his words as both he and Kagome thought of the village they once called home. Inuyasha attempted to keep his voice steady as he said to her, "Thank you for burying them. Especially what you did for Kaede and our companions."

Kagome could only nod, the large lump of emotions in her throat making it impossible to speak in that moment. A small piece of her still clung to her betrayal and mistrust, but it was rapidly fading. She could hear the truth in his words and feel his anguish at the death of everyone they had once known. It was hard letting go of her hatred and part of her felt robbed of her revenge.

Finally trusting her voice, Kagome asked, "Why didn't you come find me? Why did you leave me all alone?" The second question came out higher pitched than she would have liked and she knew she sounded vulnerable, but she needed an answer.

Meeting her eyes again, the sorrow in Inuyasha's citrine eyes was evident. His voice thick with emotion as he answered, "It was all my fault. If only I hadn't left that morning and made them vulnerable to attack… if only I had been there to protect them. I just couldn't face you knowing that I had let everyone down. Once I realized what the jewel had done to me, I wasn't sure if you would believe that I hadn't done it out of greed…"

 **AN: Okay so that was a long and poignant chapter! Let me know what ya'll think and I will try to get the next installment out soon!**


	12. Expenditure of Power

**Chapter 12:**

Kagome leaned back against the rock at his answer. She did not like it, but it was something she understood. In her moment of anguish, would she have even given him the chance to say anything when he approached her in full youkai form? The miko would like to think that she was understanding, but the truth she found deep inside of herself was that she would have assumed he had used the jewel for selfish gain.

She had not seen the feline youkai, nor did she had the keen sense of smell that the inuyoukai possessed in order to be able to smell the difference on her companions bodies. It was a hard fact, but most likely, she would have ended up purifying Inuyasha without bothering to ask questions. Kagome had been grief-stricken and full of righteous anger when she had returned to Edo that day. She had assumed what had happened and never thought twice about it these last three years.

Considering the evidence that she had had, the miko supposed it was understandable that she had come to those conclusions. She had never sensed the felines, though she knew that it was possible to conceal youki. Judging from what she had seen in the village, the cats had not even bothered to use any of their youkai powers, instead relying on their claws. Then there was the fact that she had felt both the power leaving the jewel and the burst of youki as Inuyasha had become a full demon. Moreover, Inuyasha had left the village and in her eyes, that was an admission of guilt. Not to mention, that everyone had always assumed that Inuyasha would not be able to handle the power of full youkai blood and would turn feral.

Sighing, Kagome struggled to make sense of it all by sorting the pieces out in her mind. Though she knew Inuyasha to be telling the truth, it did little to sate the need for revenge that had burned within her for so long. For the first two years, that scorching desire was the only thing that had kept her going. Now she was learning that Inuyasha had hunted down the culprits for the last three years and all of her searching had been in vain.

She struggled with the emotions that were swirling and churning inside of her body. The sorrow that she had carefully tamped down for three years was threatening to burst from her again like it had at the spring. Her fury and guilt at the death of her friends and being unable to sate her vengeful desires burned through her veins. The confusion of finding out that she had been wrong all of these years and having to direct her emotions at something other than Inuyasha threatened to swallow her whole. The miko was also being pulled by other emotions that pulled at her, emotions that she had not allowed herself to even think about in all this time. The friendship that she had shared with Inuyasha seemed impossible now, as she would never be able to erase these last three years and the toll they had taken on her.

Looking up from her lap, Kagome found two pairs of amber eyes centered on herself. She knew her aura must be disturbing to both of them as even she could feel the way it roiled around her in her confusion and state of mixed emotions. Unable to take being stared at by the brothers, Kagome stood and started walking towards the trees.

"Where are you going, Kagome?" came Inuyasha's concerned voice. The miko flinched, still having trouble hearing her name from him. He might be innocent of all she had accused him of, but that did not make this any easier on her. She kept walking without a backwards glance.

"Let her go," Sesshoumaru said quietly to his half-brother. He knew she needed time to process everything and the excess energy within her needed to be expelled.

"I don't want her going off on her own. It could be dangerous," Inuyasha replied, his voice coming out petulantly at her refusal to answer him.

"It would only be dangerous to whomever crossed her path right now," the daiyoukai replied, his tone tinged with humor. He knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself and any demon she came across would feel the full power of her wrath, if only because she had no other outlet.

Inuyasha sighed, knowing that his brother knew her better than he did anymore. The thought left him with a disquieted feeling. Never would he have imagined that he would find Kagome with Sesshoumaru of all people. Turning to his half-brother, his belligerence evident in his tone, "How the hell did she end up in your pack, Sesshoumaru?"

Turning his impassive eyes to meet those of the once-hanyou and arching a brow at his impudence, Sesshoumaru spoke coldly, "This Sesshoumaru fails to see how it is any of your business, half-breed."

"I'm not a hanyou anymore, bastard!" Inuyasha spat out, eyes narrowing.

"You will always be a half-breed in my eyes, Inuyasha," the daiyoukai replied, his tone dismissive.

Inuyasha jumped to his feet, his hand on the hilt of Tessaiga. He responded angrily, "Let's see you say that after I've knocked your arrogant head off of your shoulders!"

"I have no wish to fight you this night," Sesshoumaru said, his voice unperturbed at his half-brother's rash antics. Apparently, some things never changed.

The daiyoukai got to his feet and turned away from his brother, intent on finding the miko though he knew she had cloaked her reiryoku and scent.

Rushing after Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha yelled, "Hey! Why do you get to go after her and not me?"

"She can barely stand to look at you. Are you honestly foolish enough to think that you wouldn't do more harm than good, Inuyasha?" He raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Some of the fight left Inuyasha, knowing that Sesshoumaru's words were true. He had not missed the physical recoil of his miko friend when he had called after her. It was going to take more than one day for her to be able to look at him without seeing their dead companions, if she ever could. Grumbling to himself, Inuyasha took several bounding steps and jumped onto a high, sturdy tree branch.

Kagome had not gone too far from the clearing before she erected a barrier around herself. The barrier would keep anyone from catching her scent or entering without her permission. In fact, the barrier itself could not be sensed by anyone other than a miko or monk with greater strength than she possessed. Essentially, she was invisible and soundless to the outside world, unable to be reached. The barrier had a second purpose as well, to contain her powers within the barrier.

Though she knew it was a pointless waste of energy, the miko drew her reiryoku from inside her body and let it explode out from her. The holy energy crashed against the walls of her barrier and seethed around her before dissipating. Kagome did this again and again, releasing her power as she wished she could release her emotions. The waves of the manifestation of her aura flowed through and around her in such a way as she would normally find comforting. The miko found however, that she would find no solace in waste of energy. Perhaps, though, she might exhaust herself so that she might be able to sleep and find peace from the cacophony of emotions that she was unable to control.

Had he not been on a direct collision course with the edge of her barrier, Sesshoumaru would have walked right on past completely unaware of her presence. One moment he was simply following a straight line of the path that she had walked when the miko left camp, and the next the daiyoukai found himself unable to take another step forward. The strength of the barrier gave him the sensation of his skin crawling and he knew only one person capable of that amount of power.

"Miko," Sesshoumaru called softly from the edge of the barrier.

Kagome could not seem to find any relief from the torture of the feelings she was trying to escape. Reaching deep inside herself, further than she ever had before, she released every bit of energy she had left within herself. The wave of her raw strength hit the barrier hard, shattering it as she collapsed on the ground.

Were he a cat, every single strand of hair on his body would have stood on end as the barrier came crashing down. Sesshoumaru had to shield his eyes from the brilliant light of the reiryoku that collapsed in on itself. As the light dissipated, he was dismayed to find the miko laying on the ground breathing heavily.

"Kagome," he called as he stepped towards her.

"Sesshoumaru?" was all the severely weakened miko could respond with, her voice hoarse and barely audible.

"What have you done?" He demanded, his worry evident in his voice as he kneeled beside her motionless form.

"I'm fine…" she whispered, her eyes fluttering closed.

Shaking his head and sighing, Sesshoumaru gathered up the tiny miko in his arms and transformed into an orb of light.

Inuyasha stared as the ball of light hit the ground near the fire pit. The light dissipated and Sesshoumaru appeared carrying the sleeping Kagome cradled against his chest. His eyes grew wide at the sight and his keen senses told him that she was barely breathing.

"What the hell did you do?" Inuyasha demanded harshly, jumping down from his place in the tree and rushing over to them.

"Get her pack," Sesshoumaru commanded, ignoring his half-brother's question.

"Not until you tell me what you did to her, you bastard!" Inuyasha was yelling, but he did not care. All he could focus on was the lifeless appearing Kagome in his brother's arms.

"I did nothing to her half-breed! Now, will you prepare her a place to sleep or continue arguing with me?" The aloof daiyoukai responded impatiently, his voice was cold but underneath he was just as worried. Her breathing had slowed dangerously and she felt cold in his arms.

Inuyasha scoffed, but did as requested. Digging through the bag carelessly, he pulled out the two blankets he found within it. Laying one of them on the ground as near to the fire as he dared, he stepped back to allow Sesshoumaru to lay Kagome down.

The daiyoukai lay the miko down as gently as he could manage, supporting her head as he lowered her to the ground. He reached out his hand to Inuyasha without looking at the wretch and took the blanket that he offered. Sesshoumaru wrapped her tightly in the blanket before standing up and turning to his brother.

"You gonna tell me what happened?" Inuyasha asked, his concern evident in his voice. Both brothers could hear every slow beat of the miko's heart.

"I can only guess at what happened, as I did not witness it. It seems that she had placed a barrier around herself and was expelling her emotions in the form of her own power," He replied quietly.

"How did she get like this then? Kagome sent out that blast of power earlier and she was just fine!" Suspicion and mistrust glazed his voice as Inuyasha questioned his half-brother.

"She was maintaining a strong barrier around herself to contain the power she was releasing inside. She must have been so desperate to release her pain and confusion that she reached too deeply into the well of her reiryoku. This well of power is essentially equivalent to the life force of those with strong spiritual powers," Sesshoumaru explained.

While his brother's facial expression might have been void of his worry, the fact that he bothered to explain at all meant that this was a serious problem. Inuyasha stared at Kagome's expressionless face, unable to think what he might do for her. Ignoring the daiyoukai's growl of protest, Inuyasha reached out to touch her cheek.

"She's freezing!" He exclaimed, his anxiety filled eyes meeting those of Sesshoumaru's.

The daiyoukai began to undo the yellow tie on the outside of his armor, ignoring his brother's exclamation. He was already aware that her body was only functioning minimally. Cold would slow her heart further. Reaching for the straps that held it in place, Sesshoumaru began removing his armor and set it aside. He deftly removed all but his pants before moving towards the miko.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" Inuyasha practically screeched.

"She needs to be warmed," Sesshoumaru replied with annoyance. He wanted nothing more than to beat his brother into oblivion in this moment, if only to shut him up. However, there were more important things that he needed to tend to, like his cold and fragile pack mate.

"Oh no! I don't want your hands on her, I can do this," Inuyasha argued, part of him seeing red at the thought of his half-clothed brother lying next to his Kagome.

"And how do you think she will react when she wakes? She is pack and I will care for her, now move," Sesshoumaru's patience was past the point of wearing thin. He might have to beat some sense into the idiot after all.

Inuyasha hung his head. It went against everything his own mind was telling him, but he knew that, rationally, Sesshoumaru was right. Kagome would likely freak out and perhaps even purify him if she woke with him next to her. He was practically shaking as he turned away and went off into the night. He might understand the reasons, but he could not guarantee his own control if he were to watch them lay together. Inuyasha did not go so far that he could no longer hear her heart beating and settled in a tree to keep guard during the night.

Sesshoumaru ignored his brother as he went off, knowing that his concern for the miko would not allow him to go far. Sliding under the blanket, the daiyoukai gathered Kagome to him, practically wrapping himself around her and willing his heat to seep into her cold skin. His nose filled with her gentle lavender scent and it calmed him somewhat.

The daiyoukai knew he should probably be more sympathetic to his brother's plight, but he could not find it in himself to care. He had stopped wanting to kill the half-breed long ago, but that did not mean he wanted to put up with the ill-tempered and foul mouthed baka. It was obvious that Inuyasha still had feelings for the miko, and watching the familiarity that they shared was most likely very difficult for him.

Inuyasha had claimed to love her when he first told his story to Sesshoumaru earlier that day. At the time, he had not reacted in the slightest but in reality, the daiyoukai wanted to strangle the whelp. That idiot had left her alone and vulnerable for three years while he took his sweet time taking revenge on the felines that had attacked Edo. He had let his shame and guilt tear him from her side and the half-breed did not deserve a moment's attention from Kagome for his abandonment. The idiot obviously had no idea how a pack worked. Inuyasha was much too weak-willed to deserve a woman like his miko.

Kagome's body warmed slowly against his and her heartbeat became more normal with the infusion of heat. Sesshoumaru let his youki brush gently against her and felt a small spark of her reiryoku. The daiyoukai breathed a sigh of relief. While the miko was much too weak right now for his liking, he knew that she would survive.

Nuzzling his face into her neck, Sesshoumaru relaxed and breathed deeply of her calming scent. It was not long after that he felt himself starting to drift off to sleep. Sending his youki out, he found Inuyasha watching over them from nearby. Not sensing any danger in the vicinity, the daiyoukai allowed himself to fall into slumber with Kagome wrapped tight in his arms.


	13. Unspoken Feelings

**AN: Well, it seems we have some sibling rivalry to add to the mix up! I still don't know exactly where this story is leading me, but I promise there is at least one big surprise waiting around the corner! Shout out to my awesome Dokuga supporters that give me the best reviews! I love you guys 3**

Sesshoumaru woke with the miko still wrapped tightly in his arms. As he breathed deeply of her scent, he noticed how much stronger she seemed then when he fell asleep. Her heart was beating appropriately and he noted that she breathed deeper than she had been when he had brought her back to camp. She was also producing her own heat once more and he found the warmth of her against him comforting. Checking the vicinity with his youki, Sesshoumaru continued to snuggle the little miko against him.

Awareness came slowly to Kagome and all she noticed at first was the splitting headache between her eyes. It felt like someone was using a sledgehammer to pound against her brows from the inside. As she woke up further, she noted how warm and comfortable she felt. That was when she noticed she was being held.

Startling the rest of the way awake, Kagome turned and realized that it was Sesshoumaru who held her so tightly. It only took a split second to also notice that he was half-naked against her. Blushing a furious red, she turned in his arms to meet the wakeful amber eyes of her alpha.

"Good morning," he said lightly as he snuggled his face once again into the crook of her neck. From their current position, he found he could fully immerse himself in her scent. The daiyoukai completely ignored her embarrassment, very happy with their current position.

"Ugh… what happened? All I remember is erecting a barrier and blowing off some steam," she groaned.

Sesshoumaru gave her the same explanation that he had given to Inuyasha the night before, adding to the end, "You very nearly killed yourself last night, little miko."

The pounding in Kagome's head only intensified when she tried to think too hard. She wanted to relax, but found it very difficult with a certain alpha snuggled up to her so familiarly. The miko found herself once again conflicted between enjoying the embrace and feeling highly uncomfortable in his arms.

"Can you two knock that off?" Inuyasha said with a scowl as he brought two freshly killed and cleaned rabbits into camp for breakfast. He was still feeling rather salty about the events of the night and watching his brother cuddle Kagome only made his mood fouler.

Kagome startled at the voice, sitting up abruptly from her position at Sesshoumaru's side. In the haze of her recall from last night and the warm feeling of waking up in the arms of her alpha, she had nearly forgotten about Inuyasha. Frowning at the inuyoukai, the miko stood and stretched her arms over her head, letting the tense and weary muscles contract and relax under her skin. Realizing she needed to relieve herself, she started towards the edge of the woods.

"Ey! Where you going off to now?" Inuyasha hollered after her. The dense youkai only irritating the miko more.

"Can I even take a pee without you yelling your baka head off?" Kagome yelled in return, allowing her reiryoku to shimmer its glowing light pink around her form. This, however, she realized as a mistake as the pounding in her head increased and she started to feel nauseated. Nonetheless, the miko kept herself walking towards the trees despite the sudden wave of weakness swamping her.

Sesshoumaru watched the altercation from the shared blankets on the ground, attempting to hide his amusement at the miko's reaction. Slowly rising from the still warm sleeping spot, Sesshoumaru dressed himself leisurely and replaced his armor. Turning to his idiot brother, he spoke, "You should stop testing the miko."

"She's just so sensitive right now… She was never like this before," Inuyasha said, watching as Kagome walked away.

"She has dealt with the grief of losing her companions for three years now, and you left her alone to do so… She has every right to be annoyed with your senseless yowling. She has used the time to grow stronger, but you don't even yet realize what your newfound power means," Sesshoumaru replied, giving his brother a hard look.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You barely understand how to suppress your youki, let alone use it properly. Kagome has found power in her struggle and yet you get to claim the revenge she sought," Sesshoumaru replied, annoyed at his brother's confusion.

"I did what I needed to do… And of course, I haven't mastered everything; I haven't had anyone to learn from! I've been on my own too!" Inuyasha said heatedly.

"You chose that life, and Kagome had it chosen for her. She has done better than you, half-breed."

"You just think you know everything, huh? You weren't there and never have been so you don't know shit!" Inuyasha's voice raised to a yell.

"You have never sought me out for my knowledge, not that you are worthy of it. Kagome is my pack now and she doesn't have need of you."

"Like you would have helped me, yeah right!" Inuyasha could barely contain his anger at this point, even as Sesshoumaru seemed as unperturbed as ever.

"With your current attitude, you would be lucky to find anyone willing to help you," the daiyoukai responded smoothly.

"So what, you want me to fall on my knees and beg you to teach me what I would have already known had you ever bothered with your half-breed brother?" Inuyasha challenged, his voice lowering with the anger he had always felt at his brother's rejection.

"I expect you to know you are asking for help and stop acting like you are entitled to anything. You are not entitled to my help, nor are you entitled to Kagome's forgiveness."

Inuyasha opened his mouth to give a scathing retort, but closed it as Sesshoumaru finished his sentence. Telling Kagome what happened in Edo might mean that she no longer wanted to kill him, but remembering the hurt in her eyes when she asked why he had left her all alone, he knew his brother was right. It was not his intention to hurt her and leave her to struggle on her own, but his intention to find the feline youkai at any cost made the two synonymous. The truth was, he had only thought of himself and failed to consider what it might mean for her. He had failed Kagome in the moment she was weakest. She had just lost her friends, her mentor Kaede and her only link home to her family, and he left her. The sobering thoughts left a sour taste in his mouth.

Knowing it would be the only way to stay near Kagome, Inuyasha swallowed his pride and spoke, "Would you even help me?"

"Despite my distaste for you, I will honor our father's memory by teaching you what it means to be Inuyoukai. However, it will be up to Kagome to decide if she can handle being around you. I will not cause her distress to do you a favor." Sesshoumaru spoke in a bored tone, part of him wishing Kagome would say no. He was surprised that Inuyasha had managed to control his temper, but the whelp would need more than that small bit of patience to survive his training.

"Okay," was all an astonished Inuyasha could say in return. He turned his attention to tending the rabbit roasting over the fire.

Kagome walked back slowly, her head pounding with every step. She knew that Sesshoumaru would most likely want to head back to the castle soon, but the miko did not think she could handle a full day of travel. She would be damned if she didn't try though. Straightening her shoulders, she made her way across the clearing and back to the fire that now blazed anew in the center of the clearing.

As expected, the eyes of the men in the camp watched as she made her way towards the rock she had sat against last night. Sinking down gratefully, she leaned against the stone with her eyes closed against the sunlight. The miko had wished for access to modern medicine many times since the well had closed, but never more than now. She would kill for some ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

"Are you okay, Kagome," Inuyasha asked softly, sensing her distress.

"I'm fine. My head just hurts," She replied without opening her eyes.

Kagome felt Inuyasha's youki moving away towards the woods. She kept her eyes tightly closed against the pain and wondered how she was ever going to get through this day. A few moments later, the miko could feel Inuyasha moving back towards them. When she felt him stop right next to her, she started to feel uncomfortable and opened her eyes.

"This is for headaches, right?" Inuyasha asked, holding out a root with several of the distinctive bunches of white flowers still attached.

Smiling, Kagome recognized that he had found dong quai, which would indeed help with her headache. Meeting his worried citrine eyes, the miko replied, "How did you remember?"

"That time you had that really bad headache for two days, I went with Kaede to find some of this for you. I need to make it into tea, right?" Inuyasha asked with a smile.

"Yes, there is a cup in my bag," Kagome watched him fetch the cup and take off to find water to make her the pain relieving tea. She could not understand why he was being so thoughtful unless it was simply out of guilt. The miko turned her sapphire eyes to her alpha, raising an eyebrow in askance.

"He wants to return with us," Sesshoumaru said, paying close attention to her reaction. Kagome breathed in quickly and her eyebrows knit together in confusion. Knowing her question, the daiyoukai continued, "He wishes to learn how to use his newfound powers. I told him that if you consented, then I would teach him."

The miko blinked her wide sapphire eyes a couple times in confusion before asking, "Why would you need my consent?"

"Being around him bothers you," Sesshoumaru replied simply, his tone giving nothing away though his words said otherwise.

"Oh," She replied quietly.

Kagome bit her lip and chewed on it softly as she thought about this new development. They were less than three days from the castle, so it was not as if she would be in close contact with him for too long. Once at the palace, they would both be busy with training. She had her training with the youkai healers and Sesshoumaru had agreed to train her further in the art of swordplay during the journey here. Besides that, she had agreed to help with teaching Rin.

The miko wondered why Sesshoumaru had agreed to train him in the first place. It was no secret to anyone that the half-siblings did not exactly get along very well. Could it be because Inuyasha was no longer a hanyou? Even then, it did not seem to add up to Kagome. She wanted to ask but she could feel Inuyasha coming back towards them. Saving the thought for later, she leaned her head back again and closed her eyes. Thinking too much was making her head hurt worse.

Inuyasha stopped right next to her again, looking at her sheepishly as he waited for her to look at him. The miko opened her eyes and arched a delicate eyebrow at the inuyoukai. He was looking at her very seriously and appeared to be embarrassed.

"What is it, Inuyasha?" She asked.

"I don't know how to prepare the tea," he answered truthfully, not meeting her eyes.

Kagome reached into her haori and pulled forth her dagger, holding her palm out for the root. Inuyasha watched closely as she peeled the outer layer from the root and cut off a couple chunks of the pale flesh. She reached over and dropped them in the cup of water that the inuyoukai held.

"Place the cup in the embers at the edge of the fire to get warm," she stated, grateful when he moved towards the fire and wasn't so close to her anymore.

Inuyasha did as he was instructed, checking on the cooking rabbit while he was back near the fire. Seeing that it was nearly done, he went over near Sesshoumaru to rummage in Kagome's pack for one of the metal dishes he had seen in there earlier. Grabbing one of them, he moved to pull off some of the rabbit meat and placed it on the plate. Inuyasha moved back over to Kagome, who once again had her eyes closed and head leaned back.

"Here, maybe eating something will help your head," He said cautiously, not sure if she would accept the food from him or not. So far this morning, she had at least been able to look at him, which he thought was a good sign.

The miko opened her eyes and took the plate with a murmured, "Thank you."

Kagome met the amber eyes looking at her from near where they had slept last night and Sesshoumaru nodded his head almost imperceptibly. She knew he was indicating his approval that she should eat the proffered food. The miko had not been looking for approval. She was more than passing curious about the daiyoukai's silence. He seemed to be appraising the interactions between herself and Inuyasha.

Inuyasha moved away to the uncooked rabbit, contemplating not offering any to his half-brother. He had seen the look passed between them and it pissed him off that she seemed to need the daiyoukai's approval to eat what he had caught for her. The inuyoukai's mind wandered again into the dangerous territory of wondering just what the two were to one another.

"Yo, you can have some if you want," Inuyasha called to his brother before ripping off some of the raw meat. Ever since his power had come, he found that he preferred his meals raw. At first, it had been a disgusting realization to the human half of his mind, but he had made his peace with it in the last couple of years.

Sesshoumaru shook his head and continued watching the little miko. He could tell that she was still very weak after last night's events and he was afraid to travel too far with her in this condition. The daiyoukai hoped they could at least make a half days travel to the spot where they had camped the previous night, but he would not push her past her limits.

The trio sat in silence as Inuyasha and Kagome ate their rabbit. The miko found that she was starving from the first bite she took and when her plate was clean, she stood to serve herself more of the tender meat. She deftly cut off more pieces with her dagger before using it to fish her cup away from the fire so it would cool.

By the time Kagome had eaten her fill and sipped her tea, she was feeling a good deal better than she had been upon waking. She still felt a little weak, but it was much easier to contemplate traveling now that her head did not feel as though it might split at any moment. Inuyasha had already started putting out the fire and covering the embers.

Kagome moved to start rolling up her blankets and putting her pack in order. Picking up her plate and cup, she looked at them distastefully. She did not want to put them back in her pack dirty, but had no idea where the nearest clean water was located. A clawed hand attached to a magenta striped wrist came into her field of view, taking the dishes in need of cleaning.

"I will clean them for you," Sesshoumaru said, removing them from her grasp. He said nothing else but walked out of camp.

Kagome smiled at his back and wondered if he was thinking about the tiny, invisible bacteria that she had taught him about. She nearly laughed aloud at the thought of the great lord Sesshoumaru washing dishes, but kept her mirth to herself. It would not do to offend someone who was doing her a favor after all.

"What's with you two?" Inuyasha asked, struggling to keep the jealousy out of his voice as he watched her smiling after his sibling.

Kagome looked up, tilting her head to the side. Replying genially, she said, "I don't know what you mean. He took me in and has been good to me, that's all there is to it."

Inuyasha chose not to say anything in response to that, but he did not believe it for a moment. Changing the subject, the inuyoukai spoke in a hesitant voice, "So, Sesshoumaru said that he would help me train if you didn't mind me coming along…"

Kagome was already tired of thinking too much about this situation. She was no longer angry with Inuyasha, though she still had many issues to resolve. Thinking about it honestly, the miko realized that she did not harbor ill will toward Inuyasha. He needed the training and it was not as if she were tying herself to him. Sighing, Kagome finally replied, "It's fine, we are only three days from the castle."

"Thank you," Inuyasha said humbly. Kagome had never ceased to amaze him with her generosity of spirit and kindness in all the time they had traveled together.

"No problem," She said with a small smile for his benefit. The miko was far from being able to completely forgive him and he was an ever-present reminder of their missing friends. However, she knew he had suffered these past years alone as well. Perhaps with time they might be able to be friends again and make sense of the tragedy they had shared. If she had told him no, she would have lost her only link to her friends. It might be hard now, but she would have regretted that in the long run.

Kagome lifted her head from her musings when she sensed Sesshoumaru moving back towards them. She watched as he walked back to camp, his resplendent silver hair blowing in the warm summer breeze and found herself once again thinking about how gorgeous he was.

When he reached them, Kagome took her dishes back with thanks and placed them in her pack before slinging it over her shoulder. Going through the motions of the familiar routine, the miko shouldered her bow and quiver before grabbing her sword and tucking it in at her hip. She noticed that it had been cleaned and wondered which of the brothers she owed her thanks too.

"Let's get going," Sesshoumaru said and turned to the west. The sun was already making its way high in the sky and he knew it would likely take them the rest of the day to reach the destination he had in mind.

The trio had only been travelling for a couple hours when Kagome found herself struggling to keep up. Her head was starting to hurt again, and she was amazed at how sore and achy she was despite her bath. Inuyasha was close on her heels and Sesshoumaru had been slowly getting a little further ahead. He was only a few steps away, but Kagome knew she could not keep up the pace.

About to suggest a break, the miko stepped in a depression and yelped as the ground sped towards her face. Strong arms caught her as strands of silver slid across her cheek. Looking up, she was surprised to find that it was Inuyasha who had caught her. Sesshoumaru was right next to her as well, but he had been further away.

Blushing, Kagome tried to pull away from Inuyasha but a single step on her right foot had her tumbling forward into Sesshoumaru as the pain shot up her ankle. The daiyoukai caught her and looked down at her pain-scrunched face. He gently set her down and set about looking at her ankle. It was not broken and did not seem to be too badly injured, but it would be painful for a day or two at least.

Kagome huffed, crossing her arms. Her words came out angrily, "Great, just great! I was already slowing you guys down and now I've gone and twisted my ankle!"

"It is fine, Kagome. We do not have to hurry back to the palace," Sesshoumaru stated, though he didn't want to linger here in the forest.

"I could carry you on my back like old times," Inuyasha said with a grin at the pained miko.

"That will not be necessary," the daiyoukai retorted in place of Kagome. He did not like his brother's offer, at all.

"No, wait, Sesshoumaru. I don't want to slow us down and we both know it will add another day if we stop now," Kagome interjected, not liking how Sesshoumaru had answered for her even if he was only trying to look out for her. At his raised eyebrow and cold expression, the miko continued, "Its fine, really."

Inuyasha helped Kagome to stand with her weight on her good foot before turning around. The red-clothed inuyoukai had a smug expression on his face when he turned to face his half-brother to allow Kagome to climb on his back.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the insolent baka, but chose to say nothing. He turned and continued along at a faster pace than the one he had set for Kagome's benefit. The miko could feel the sudden tension between the brothers but shrugged it off. Who knew what the two were even fighting about half the time.

Inuyasha breathed in the lovely miko's scent, enjoying the closeness to her that he had not felt in so very long. Choosing to stay quiet, he followed along after Sesshoumaru. It felt good to finally have gained an advantage over his half-brother, even if just a little. Besides, traveling this way had always been his favorite even if he had complained about it sometimes. The feel of her familiar curves pressed against his back brought a smile to his face.

Kagome was slightly uncomfortable with the all too familiar position at first. Her mind flooded with countless memories of traveling this way. This, of course, made the miko think of their missing friends. Visualizing each of their faces, Kagome swore never to forget them before letting the images go. The last thing she needed right now was to get all emotional again. Soon the gentle rocking motion of Inuyasha's walking had soothed her into a state of peace as she cleared her mind.

It was not too long after that Inuyasha felt her head rest on his shoulder and heard her breathing even out. Smiling to himself, Inuyasha kept pace with his brother and felt more at peace inside than he had in three years.


	14. Sibling Rivalry

**AN: So I am burning the midnight oil once again to bring you all another chapter! I know I have said it before, but thanks so much for taking time to read and review! It definitely makes the struggle to write easier! Sorry for the delay in this next installment, my muse simply refused to cooperate.**

Kagome left her bedchamber freshly done up by Mayumi's skilled eyes and hands. This morning she was wearing a kimono of sky blue silk that depicted a koi pond along the bottom third and on the long sleeves. She paired this with a darker blue and white obi, perfectly tied as usual. Mayumi had thrown in a splash of color with the salmon hued obiage, denoting her status as unmarried. The hanyou had opted to leave most of Kagome's long wavy hair loose, pulling up just the top third to the crown of her head. Twisting and pinning left her with an intricate mass of hair with several tendrils allowed to strategically escape around her face. Mayumi also parted the loose hair so that a piece hung over each of her shoulders. The miko had drawn the line when Mayumi had produced the red rouge, stating that she preferred to have a clean face.

The hanyou had a gift for working with hair and impeccable taste in choosing her kimonos. Kagome had found out that Mayumi had handpicked all the kimonos in her wardrobe some time ago. The purpose either for Rin as she grew older or for the lady of the house, should the lord ever decide on a mate. Kagome found this fact interesting indeed, but knew with the inuyoukai that her use of these kimonos was mostly due to her need of proper attire. An alpha always took care of those in his pack.

The trio had just arrived yesterday evening after mostly uneventful travel. However, the two brothers seemed to have some new problem with each other that she had yet to figure out. Inuyasha seemed to delight in annoying Sesshoumaru from time to time and the daiyoukai mostly remained silent but occasionally sent a scathing retort at his half-brother. Shaking her head, Kagome knew she would eventually figure out whatever the new issue was between them.

Kagome had been trying to be somewhat friendly with Inuyasha, though she still had her moments when she would look over and be swamped with emotions. So far, he had been pretty careful and light hearted with her. Generally, respecting when she would go quiet or prefer to be away from him. Generally was the key word though, as he was not always the brightest crayon in the box, but she appreciated the effort.

Speaking of the inuyoukai, she spotted him several paces ahead of her being led to the dining room by a male servant. Kagome let go of her tight hold on her reiryoku to announce her presence to him. She was feeling really good this morning after a wonderful night's sleep in a real bed.

Inuyasha's head swiveled around and when his eyes locked on her, he froze. He watched her walk towards him for a couple of steps before realizing he was staring. The inuyoukai met her halfway and smiled, greeting her, "Good morning, Kagome. You look… just wow."

Kagome could not help but smile and took the arm he offered her. "Thank you," she said lightly, smiling and leading them to the dining hall.

She couldn't stop herself from comparing this Inuyasha to the one she had known. They were the same person of course, but while he still had the soft puppy ears, other things had changed. He had the single stripe on each cheek as he had before when his youkai blood had taken over, but they were smooth now. They looked more like Sesshoumaru's markings, but a deeper purple-blue.

His features were somewhat sharper than they had been, more mature. Kagome did not know if that was due to him being full demon entirely or if the last three years had played a part. Also unlike his previously uncontrolled youkai form, Inuyasha's eyes, claws and fangs were unchanged. Overall, he was still the companion that she had spent over a year with, searching for the jewel fragments.

The miko's observations made her a peculiar mix of both happy and sad. She was happy her companion had survived in this new form, but so very sad that he was all that remained of their group. Kagome kept her thoughts from going too far down that path, renewing her smile as she caught Inuyasha looking at her. He already had enough guilt without her adding to it. They reached the dining hall and Inuyasha opened the door for her.

Sesshoumaru looked up to see the beautiful miko and his half-brother enter together, smiling. Seeing the whelp that close to her immediately set him on edge, but he endeavored to ignore it for her sake. Choosing to ignore his sibling, the daiyoukai spoke to Kagome, "Good morning, miko. I see Mayumi has done a wonderful job bringing out your radiance this morning."

Kagome's smile widened and a light pink blush heated her complexion. She tilted her head shyly, peeking up at Sesshoumaru from beneath her lashes as she reached her seat and let go of Inuyasha's arm. Meeting his golden eyes, she softly replied, "Thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru, you are too kind."

The miko could not see the sneer that Inuyasha was leveling at the daiyoukai from behind her, but it only made Sesshoumaru smirk. Inuyasha, unaccustomed to the way seating arrangements work, took the seat next to Kagome.

"You are acknowledging Kagome as your superior, Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru asked with an arched eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha retorted in a hostile tone.

"The seat to the right of mine is the seat for the guest of honor or the lady. You, the other guest, should take your seat to my left. To sit further away diminishes your importance. Consider this your first lesson, Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru said, amused at the expression on his half-brother's face.

"Oh," was all Inuyasha could say, moving to the indicated seat. His face looked murderous at Sesshoumaru calling out his mistake and the fact that he would not get to sit next to Kagome. Once he had moved to his new seat, despite sitting next to Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha found it was not as bad as he had Kagome right across from him.

 _ **Damn… she is so beautiful…**_

Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome, asking, "What are your plans for the day, miko?"

"I am going to seek out Kyoko and see if she has time to teach me today. After, I will spend some time with Rin. You, my Lord?" Kagome replied, thinking to herself that she might speak with Rin about what she wished to learn.

"Very good. I will spend the morning in training with the half-breed before resuming my usual tasks in my study," Sesshoumaru said, not looking forward to spending time with Inuyasha.

"Will you stop calling me that?" Inuyasha replied heatedly.

"Perhaps when you can prove that you are capable of using your youki properly," Sesshoumaru said in a frosty tone, narrowing his eyes at the inuyoukai.

"Keh," Inuyasha replied, annoyed at the disdain of the daiyoukai.

Sesshoumaru, finished with his meal, stood and moved to the door. Without looking at his brother, he spoke to him, "You will meet me in the dojo when you are finished. Do not take long."

Inuyasha scowled at Sesshoumaru's back and subsequently, the closed door. It was day one and already he wanted to rip the regal, know it all lord's head off. Sure that this was going to be one hell of a day, he turned to the one bright spot in it, Kagome. She was already mostly finished with her breakfast. The miko looked up, sensing his gaze.

"Don't let him get to you too much, Inuyasha. You should try to find some common ground and stop trading insults all the time," Kagome said, having sensed his disquiet.

"Yeah right, me get along with Sesshoumaru. You have got to be kidding," Inuyasha replied incredulously.

"He really isn't as bad as you always made him out to be. Sesshoumaru-sama has been good to me," Kagome responded with a smile.

"Keh," was all Inuyasha could say once again. He took one more bite of his food and started out the door before realizing he did not know where he was going. Turning back to Kagome he asked, "Could you show me the way to the dojo, Kagome?"

Smiling widely at the change in demeanor, Kagome stood and went to the door as well. "Of course, Inuyasha," she replied, finding Inuyasha's dependency on her a refreshing change from the past.

Sesshoumaru was once again far less than pleased when scented Kagome outside the door with Inuyasha. He had hoped that she would be less inclined to be in his half-brother's presence once they reached the palace. The daiyoukai already knew that Inuyasha intended to try to woo the miko, much to his displeasure. Worse, it seemed that he was not botching it up by being too pushy or demanding… yet.

The daiyoukai watched Inuyasha enter the dojo, looking around. Sesshoumaru had decided that today they would work on his ability to harness his youki and possibly spar without weapons after. Ready to get started, he called to Inuyasha, "Come, let's get started, I have things to attend to."

Inuyasha scowled, as was his custom whenever his half-brother spoke, and moved to the center of the room where the daiyoukai was standing. "What are we doing?" he demanded.

"You will first be learning how to properly channel your youki. Sit here," Sesshoumaru said, pointing to a spot in front of himself. Inuyasha did as he was bid, unsure of what this process was going to entail.

Sesshoumaru spoke, "You need to start by forgetting what you think you know. As a hanyou, you relied on brute strength and desperation, but that is not the proper use of your ability. I assume you still have access to your previous abilities without the Tessaiga?"

"You mean iron-reaver soul-stealer and blades of blood?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes."

"Yeah, I can still use them the same as I always have," the inuyoukai responded.

"Sankon Tessou is the addition of youki to your claws, much the same as I infuse my youki to make mine poisonous. You do this without thinking. The same is true of your Hijin Kessou. You merely infuse the youki into your blood to form the blades. You need to learn to channel this energy when not in a battle," Sesshoumaru explained.

"How do I do that?" Inuyasha asked. Despite having used the abilities many times, he had not even understood that he had inadvertently been tapping his youki. He had just kind of figured things out, much as he had with suppressing his youki.

"How is it that you can hide your youki, but you have no idea how to use it?" Sesshoumaru asked, annoyed that the baka was so dense.

Frustrated, Inuyasha growled, "I don't know, okay?"

"Close your eyes," Sesshoumaru directed. Inuyasha scoffed, but did as his elder brother said. The daiyoukai flared his youki around Inuyasha, gradually adding power until his half-brother's youki responded.

"What was that?" Inuyasha asked as his eyes snapped open.

"I used my youki to draw yours out. Did you take notice of where you felt your power come from?"

"I guess… it was like deep inside of my body," Inuyasha replied, mentally probing the area he had felt the power rise. He was surprised to find that it responded, rising up in him in a way that felt familiar.

Inuyasha jolted, breaking the control he had just begun to have. The feeling of that power welling within him felt just like the times when he had lost control. Across his mind's eye flashed the moment when he had turned his claws on Kagome, tearing into her arm when they were within Naraku.

Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow at his half-brother. He had felt his youki starting to rise and then abruptly cut off. Repeating Inuyasha's query, "What was that?"

"It felt… wrong. Like the times I went feral before," Inuyasha said quietly.

"You are no longer hindered by human blood. You will not go feral, and even if it were possible that you could, I would stop you," Sesshoumaru replied with his usual supreme confidence. He added, "As our father's son, I expect you will likely be able to transform as well."

"So that's what I felt rising up within me?" Inuyasha asked.

"Quite possibly. Surely you have noticed the beast within?" Sesshoumaru queried.

"I guess… certain things make me feel like I have an animal inside of me. A more instinctual side," Inuyasha replied.

"Three years and you still haven't become in touch with your beast at all?" the daiyoukai said incredulously.

"It's just there! How the hell am I supposed to get in touch with it?" Inuyasha replied with frustration and barely veiled hostility.

"Perhaps it will become more clear after you have had your first transformation… if you can transform that is," Sesshoumaru added the last with a smirk.

"You bastard, you keep taunting me and you'll see what happens!" Inuyasha growled, his eyes tinging pink.

"You need to be able to control both your youki and the transformation. Emotion should not play a part in either," Sesshoumaru instructed his younger brother.

"Kind of hard to do when you are pissing me off!"

"Control is something you have always lacked. I was merely making a statement of fact," The daiyoukai responded coolly, watching his brother with a near-bored stare.

Inuyasha struggled hard in an attempt not to let himself get any angrier and find a semblance of control. After several seconds, the pinkish color receded from his eyes and they reverted to normal. Taking a deep breath, he once again began to focus on the place of power he had discovered within himself. It was easier to find this time, he found. Inuyasha mentally pulled at the power found within himself and after a few attempts allowed his youki to flow out around him.

Inuyasha found that he could sense things more intimately than he had with just his normal senses. It was almost as if he could see the youki of anyone in the vicinity of his youki flare. In his bemusement about what he could sense, Inuyasha forgot to retain control of his youki and it withdrew back into him.

"That was a start," Sesshoumaru said as he felt his half-brother's youki flare ebb.

"I could sense the youkai near here in a way that was different from smelling or feeling their aura," Inuyasha replied, his voice full of awe.

"That's just the beginning. Once you can fully control the youki inside you, you can infuse more strength into your Sankon Tessou and Hijin Kessou. There may be another ability that has been unlocked by your becoming a full youkai other than being able to transform," Sesshoumaru explained.

Inuyasha nodded, thinking on what the daiyoukai had told him. Focusing on his youki again, he drew the power up within himself and directed it to his hands. When the inuyoukai noticed that his claws began to glow a golden color, he shouted triumphantly. The power immediately receded from his distraction, but he was getting a feel for how to control the energy within himself.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the shout. Such a small victory did not need to be rejoiced over. However, he could recall his first learnings of the use of his own youki. While his reaction was much more reserved, the first rush of power and the feeling of accomplishment was one he remembered well.

"Now, little brother, set aside your Tessaiga and we will spar," Sesshoumaru commanded in the usual bored tone he used with his half-brother.

"Keh," Inuyasha replied, but did what was requested. Setting his Tessaiga against the far wall of the dojo, Inuyasha turned to walk back to where the daiyoukai stood. He did not move with any sense of purpose or hurry, purposely annoying the other.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and rather than wait for the insolent inuyoukai, he attacked. With preternatural speed, he came up on Inuyasha's side. The daiyoukai was actually surprised when his sparring partner managed to dodge the attack and place a bit of distance between them.

 _ **So, he has at least managed to make use of the greater agility that his youkai blood now affords him…**_

"Getting slow in your old age, Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha taunted as he started circling to the right.

The daiyoukai was unperturbed by the taunt and began to circle as well, waiting for Inuyasha to make the next move. He was soon rewarded as the impatient inuyoukai came at him in a headlong rush. Sesshoumaru easily sidestepped the attack and placed a well-aimed punch into his half-brother's rib cage. A silent smirk came to his lips as he contemplated all the fun he was about to have.

Kagome walked out to the gardens by herself, reveling in the beauty of the day. She had spent a couple hours with Kyoko sorting and drying herbs for future use and being drilled about each one's actions. As was her custom, Kagome easily answered each query and often supplied more information than needed to help reinforce it in her own mind.

Rin would still be doing her lessons until lunch, which left the miko with spare time on her hands. She had contemplated going to the dojo to see how the brothers were fairing, but thought better of it. Kagome knew she would be more of a distraction than her curiosity was worth.

With her mind turned towards the two inuyoukai, the miko began to puzzle out each one's behavior. Inuyasha was much as he had always been, minus the guilt she occasionally felt radiating from him when she had trouble being in his presence. He had been careful of her in a way that she had not expected, but wholeheartedly appreciated. She knew she still had feelings for the once-hanyou companion, but she had yet to figure out exactly what they entailed.

Then again, the compassionate care she had received at the hands of the daiyoukai surprised her even more. Not to mention her own responses to the lord's advances. Kagome could feel her face heating at the memory of the kiss they had shared the day before finding Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru was truly an enigma to her, and one she found she had more than a passing desire to attempt to unravel. His mixture of protectiveness and loyalty to her was a surprise she had not yet managed to get over. Nor had she ever suspected that the daiyoukai could be as gentle and caring as the side that he seemed to show only her and Rin.

Taking assessment of her own thoughts, an interesting revelation came together in her mind. The miko was caught in a twisted sort of love triangle with the two brothers. A large piece of her wanted to deny it and all the implications that came with it. At this time, she would definitely not classify her feelings for either one of them as love. However, the increased rivalry between the two now made infinitely more sense with her realization.

 _ **Oh kami, what kind of mess am I in now?**_

Her musings were interrupted as she felt the nearing presence of a certain daiyoukai who was playing prominently in her thoughts of late. The miko was both surprised and a bit amused that his first training session with Inuyasha had been so short. Kagome turned to the direction she knew him to be coming from and seconds later, she was rewarded with him coming into her sights.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she greeted him in a properly submissive tone, though her eyes shone with amusement.

"Miko," the daiyoukai acknowledged in return, coming to a stop before her.

"Training with Inuyasha didn't last long," she remarked, trying hard to keep that amusement she was feeling out of her voice.

"Once shown how to access his own youki, much of the training will be up to his own will and practice. Though I'll admit that sparring with him was… entertaining," Sesshoumaru responded with a cold smirk gracing his features along with a raised brow.

Kagome had to fight down a laugh. She was somewhat concerned for Inuyasha, but somehow she knew that the lord had done little more than wound his pride and leave a few bruises. Allowing a small smile to grace her petal-soft lips, she spoke, "I see you brothers are getting along famously, as always."

"Sharing blood does not make us brothers," came the cold reply she had expected.

"Perhaps not, but taking him under your wing to teach him what no one else has is a step in the right direction," Kagome responded lightly, completely unruffled by his cool tone.

Sesshoumaru growled and the miko could not help but grace him with a bright and full smile. The kind of smile she had not worn in three years. While the daiyoukai might not have liked the implication of her words, he found himself dazzled by the unrestrained smile that she bestowed upon him. Once again, the nagging urge from inside of him to make the little onna his own made itself known.

Not fully conscious of his own action, Sesshoumaru stepped closer to the tiny miko that stood before him. When he stopped close to her, looking down into her crystalline blue eyes, the smile froze on her face and her breath stopped for a moment. Those wide, innocent eyes were his undoing as he leaned forward to capture her upturned lips with his own. The daiyoukai delighted in the gasp of air that she drew in as their lips met.

Despite each of them having their own enhanced senses, neither the miko nor the daiyoukai paid any heed to the approaching inuyoukai youki. It could be any one of a number of them living and serving in the palace and truly, the pair were both caught up in the sensation of each other's youki/reiryoku and the feeling of the others lips.

Inuyasha rounded the corner to a full view of HIS Kagome being kissed by his cold and arrogant half-brother. The power within him swirled dangerously to the surface and a voice he had never heard before growled 'MINE' in his head as his vision started to go red.

The flare of youki did not go unnoticed by the daiyoukai and miko. Kagome gasped in dismay as she turned and saw Inuyasha begin to transform.

 **AN: I know, I know, another cliffhanger! It's a terrible and awful thing I allow my muse to do to you all. *giggles evilly* Guess ya'll will just have to tune in for the next chapter! I will endeavor not too take as long as I did with this one! Believe it or not, writing the (believable) sibling rivalry and developing love triangle has actually be quite difficult for me. If anyone has any awesome ideas, feel free to drop a message to me! Thanks again to all my readers and as always, please take a moment of your precious time to review.**


	15. Reaching the Breaking Point

**Disclaimer: I still don't, and never will, own Inuyasha and Co. As always, I make no profits from setting my plunnies free for your (and mine) entertainment.**

 **AN: So, as yall might have guessed, things come to a bit of a head in this chapter and the consequences, though unintended, may cause some people to be unhappy.**

Kagome gasped loudly, stepping back from Sesshoumaru and staring at Inuyasha as his eyes turned blood red. The turquoise blue ring in the center of those red orbs only adding to the fearsome look. The new markings on his face turned into jagged purple streaks upon the sides of his face. She watched in a horrible sort of trance as his fangs grew and filled his mouth as his jaw began to stretch. The in between state looking like a candidate for a horror film. His sharp and deadly claws began to elongate and curl over the ends of his fingers and toes.

Though the miko had once before seen Sesshoumaru transform, she found herself fascinated by what was happening before her eyes. The beautiful white of Inuyasha's hair seemed to be coming from everywhere as his fur sprouted from him and his form began to twist and grow. Self-preservation was completely lost on her at that moment.

"Get back, Kagome," Sesshoumaru said loudly enough to break through her daze. His voice was once again the thick, gravelly tone of his beast.

With wide eyes, the Shikon miko did as she was told and backed up several paces, steeping behind a large old sakura tree and peeking her head around it to see what was happening. Sesshoumaru had started his transformation much later than his brother who was nearly fully transformed, but the two huge inuyoukai both reached completion at the same time. Kagome thought about attempting to reason with Inuyasha as she had in the past when he had gone feral, but she knew that this was altogether different. His inner beast had taken over at seeing her with Sesshoumaru. She began to feel like this was her fault.

Kagome could not help, despite her guilt, but revel in the novelty and beauty of what was happening just feet away from while she stood in the shelter of the sakura tree. The two white dog demons faced each other in the gardens, only their markings showing any difference between the two. The miko knew if she were standing next to either, that she wouldn't even be as tall as their legs. They had to be nearly two stories high.

Sesshoumaru stood with his back to her in a protective stance as he guarded what was his. Inuyasha wasted little time in lunging for his elder brother with jaws full of cruel fangs snapping dangerously. The daiyoukai used a massive, sharp tipped paw to knock the lesser brother to the side and even further away from Kagome. Inuyasha snarled loudly and sprang at Sesshoumaru once again, this time aiming his jaws at the enormous legs supporting him. Sesshoumaru took to the air, guiding the once-hanyou ever further away from his little miko. He kept one eye on her location as he moved, ensuring her safety in the battle.

Kagome wanted to help in some way, but all she had at her disposal were her miko powers. She did not wish to purify either brother and knew throwing lesser energy was likely to just enrage Inuyasha and draw his attention to her. Fidgeting and nervous, the miko resigned herself to allowing Sesshoumaru to handle the current situation. She absolutely hated feeling useless after having looked out for herself for so many years.

The daiyoukai avoided Inuyasha's attempt to take out his leg, leaping on top of his back and closing his jaws around the fur covering the back of his brother's neck. Though he wasn't sure if he cared about killing the whelp, Sesshoumaru had practically taken him under his protection in offering to train him. Locking his jaw without actually digging his fangs too far into Inuyasha's flesh, the lord of the west attempted to bring Inuyasha back down to the ground beneath them. Sesshoumaru aimed for a clearing that was far enough from Kagome to make him even more sure of her safety.

Inuyasha flailed wildly in an attempt to dislodge his brother from his back. For all of his attempts however, the best he managed to do was roll in the air and take a swipe at his brother's belly with his deadly claws. Sesshoumaru growled fearsomely as they found minor purchase in his flesh and locked his jaw fractionally tighter around the exposed neck between his teeth. Inuyasha let out a sound somewhere between a roar and a deep growl and he tried to once again roll. Kagome felt the hairs at the back of her neck stand up at the sound as she watched with morbid fascination.

This time, they were too close to the ground and the younger brother found himself careening into the earth in an awkward sideways roll. Forcing his weight into the daiyoukai, Inuyasha forced his brother to roll with him in hopes of extricating himself from his current hold. Unfortunately for all involved, Inuyasha had managed to put them on a course straight for Kagome with his wild twists. The miko let out a yelp and backed up even further from where the pair had started.

Inuyasha's back crashed into the spot beneath the sakura tree where Kagome had just been standing moments before. Leaves showered the ground as they were loosed by the impact. A thunderous crack reverberated in the air as he slammed to a stop against the trunk. The miko only had a fraction of a second to realize that the great old tree was falling directly at her. She turned with the intent to run to safety before the first wave of pain sent a shockwave through her body.

Having no idea what was happening behind him, Inuyasha continued to snap his jaws at his brother and try to wound him with his claws despite his present submissive position. The harsh, feminine scream of pain finally made it through his consciousness and made him freeze. He knew that voice, that was his Kagome. That one rational thought began to give Inuyasha the opportunity to return to his senses. The jaws locking around his throat receded and the great dog was surprised to see his brother return to his humanoid form and move in a blur of motion to where the scream had come from.

Once Sesshoumaru pinpointed her location in the mess of branches and leaves, he used supernatural strength to pick up the entire tree and cast it aside with little effort. Even for him, it should not have been that easy, but every ounce of his focus was on the fragile onna trapped underneath. The daiyoukai was vaguely aware of Inuyasha's bestial self catching on and reverting form when he realized what had happened.

Kagome whimpered softly as the tree was removed from her, a few of the branches catching at her hair, skin and clothes. Sesshoumaru gasped aloud as he saw the damage to his miko. She was covered in scratches and gouges from the branches of the tree, but that wasn't what made his heart skip a beat. A thick branch had broken and impaled her upper left chest and shoulder, mere inches from her heart. The scent of her blood filled the gardens as it started a dark red pool beneath her that soaked her sky blue kimono and seeped into her hair. The broken piece had gone clean through her body. While the damage would have been easy enough for a youkai to heal with a day or two's rest, he knew in her state that she was severely wounded.

Sesshoumaru struggled with his control for a moment, his eyes flashing red. He wanted to kill his thoughtless half-brother for putting her in danger to begin with. Not only had he put her in danger by transforming, the whelp had been careless enough to have brought the battle close to the precious little onna. His youki radiated out from him and boiled around him with rage as he fought to retain control and not rip his brother's throat out. Kagome needed him now, no matter how much he wished to tear the life from his idiot brother.

Noticing that a few youkai had gathered to the edge of the garden, Sesshoumaru growled out loudly, "Get Kyoko!"

With his control having won out, Sesshoumaru turned back to the fragile miko that struggled to stay conscious. Her breathing rasped and when she coughed to clear her throat, a deep red stream of blood left her lips. Sesshoumaru carefully moved to cradle her in his arms without dislodging the branch that held most of her life's blood within her body at this moment. He stared down into her glassy blue eyes and whispered, "Stay with me, Kagome."

Kagome couldn't think, could hardly breathe with the pain wracking her body. If she tried to move even a tiny bit, the sharp throbbing in the shoulder threatened to steal her consciousness from her. Knowing she was losing consciousness and hoping this wasn't the end for her, Kagome forced her eyes to focus on the angry and worried pair that watched her. Those shimmering gold eyes held her attention, though she seemed oblivious to whatever was happening around her.

As the dark closed in on the edges of her vision, Kagome choked out a whispered, "I'm sorry."

Inuyasha's ears folded to his head as he looked on helplessly. He felt as if his heart were in a vice grip and he could barely breathe. When he heard her whispered apology, it felt as though a hot dagger had lodged itself in his heart. This was all his fault for losing control. His beast had raged upon seeing the two of them so intimately together and all he remembered was seeing a red haze over his sight. The inuyoukai wanted to approach, but thought better of it. For once, he put her first and let his brother take control of her care.

Kyoko arrived moments after Kagome went unconscious, and her eyes widened at the damage that had been wrought on her student. Her sensitive ears could easily pick out the still steady beating of the miko's heart and it reassured her. However, she could also hear the rattle of blood inside the punctured left lung and knew that even with her skills, she may not be able to save her.

"My lord, we need to move her inside. Can you move her without letting the branch be dislocated?" Kyoko asked softly, well aware that her lord was on the edge of his control.

Without a word, Sesshoumaru shifted his precious burden in his arms so that he could carry her. He balanced her torso beneath the deadly shaft of wood before taking off to land inside of his own bedchamber. He knew that Kyoko would gather what she needed and meet him here. The daiyoukai laid the injured miko on his bed, supporting her shoulder so that it was raised above the mattress. He stared into her pale, pained features and felt his heart tug in his chest.

Minutes passed and all Sesshoumaru could do was stare at her beautiful features. He listened to her steady heart beat and pained, shallow breaths. The daiyoukai did not care one bit as her blood stained the silken sheets of his bed.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat, unmistakable to his keen ears. He mentally cursed, praying to the kamis that Kyoko would arrive soon. Sesshoumaru would not forgive himself if his little miko died under his protection. Suddenly he realized just how important the onna had become to him in the short time she had reentered his life. The simple thought of never again seeing her smile caused an unfamiliar pain that threatened to steal his breath away from him. It felt similar to the second time that Rin had died before his mother had revived her, but this time his beast pawed and whined at him. His inner self unable to tolerate the thought of its chosen no longer being in this world.

Kyoko entered the chamber with a basket full of bandages and herbs with two of the other youkai healers following closely behind. Sesshoumaru didn't move other than to look over at the demonesses. The healer looked over the miko carefully, noting that, with the exception of her shoulder, the rest of the wounds were shallow and already scabbing over. Those could be cleaned after the miko's shoulder had been stabilized.

"My lord, this wound is going to bleed quite a lot when the branch is removed. Do you wish to move her to the floor until we have dressed it?" Kyoko asked quietly, eyes downturned submissively in respect for her lord.

"No, she doesn't need to be moved again," Sesshoumaru said simply. Truth is, he did not want to cause her any more pain or risk her waking before they had finished dressing the large and possibly deadly wound.

Nodding her head to communicate her understanding, Kyoko moved onto the bed with a thick, folded towel. The demoness placed the towel against the branch on the side of the outgoing wound. Wanting to prepare her lord, she said in a voice soft as a whisper, "My lord, this is going to hurt her. We need to remove the branch."

Sesshoumaru nodded, attempting to reposition the tiny miko so that Kyoko had a better view of what she was doing. She noted that the branch was tapered, which was lucky for her pupil as it would not cause any more damage as it was carefully removed. Taking a deep breath, Kyoko motioned to one of her helpers to come and remove the broken branch.

Everyone froze when they heard the disapproving growl from the daiyoukai. The demonesses bowed their heads quickly, not wanting to incite his wrath. Everyone in the room could tell that his beast was close to the surface.

"I will remove it, Kyoko," the daiyoukai pointed to one of the other demonesses with the hand not supporting her and commanded, "Come support her while I remove this."

The healer did as she had been bid by her lord and carefully switched places with him to support the young onna. When Kyoko nodded, Sesshoumaru pulled on the large branch with steady pressure and pulled it from her wound. Kagome screamed as the branch was removed and the towel placed at her back, quickly passing out from the excruciating pain. The high, keening wail that ripped through her throat constricted the daiyoukai's chest painfully and he was thankful when she went back to the dark oblivion of unconsciousness.

Three long and terrible days had passed since the incident in the gardens that left the miko wounded. Sesshoumaru had barely left her side in all of that time. He had refused to let anyone by Kyoko near the mortally damaged Kagome. Despite frequent cleanings and re-bandaging, the wound had developed the putrid smell of infection. Sesshoumaru was at his wits end as the poor little onna burned with fever and thrashed on the bed. She had been given herbs for pain and fever, but they seemed to help only minimally at best.

Kyoko was at the bedside, examining the shoulder wound when she turned to her lord with a solemn face. Speaking the words he already knew, she said softly, "The wound is infected, my lord. I do not know how much longer the miko can hold out until the poison enters her blood."

"You must know someone or something that can help her, Kyoko," Sesshoumaru said with a mixture of anger and extreme fear. He didn't even care if the emotions showed on his ragged features. The daiyoukai was becoming desperate. Reaching out a hand, he stroked the little miko's cheek. She had not woken up once since they had removed the branch from her shoulder.

Kyoko seemed to hesitate for several moments before meeting his eyes. She had no clue if the witch could help, or even if she would. Never did magic come without a price though. Sighing, the demoness spoke, "I don't know if it is a good idea, but I do know of a dark witch who has some experience with these matters. I know not if she would be willing or what the cost might be, my lord."

"Summon her," Sesshoumaru said without hesitation. 

**AN: So there is another chapter for you all! After two weeks of no updates, I definitely wanted yall to get at least two this week and I'm already thinking hard on the next chapter which I hope to get up this weekend or sooner. Poor Kags and poor tortured Shesshy… As always, thanks for reading and please take a moment to review!**

 **P.S. Welcome back Mutnodjmet and thanks so much for the long review! Glad you and everyone else is enjoying the story so far! Much love to all my supporters on Dokuga and FF net.**


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